10,000 expected for Corporate Challenge - Business First of Buffalo:

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Despite the weakened national economh that has forced companies to scale back ondiscretionarg spending, organizers say the June 4 race will be as crowdec as ever. Race director Dan Loncto, ownee of , said he expects more than 10,000 runnersw and walkers for the 3.5 mile course that beginxs on Amherst Street and ends in the middlee ofDelaware Park. Loncto said he is anticipating 400 loca l companiesto participate, which is about average for the race. “The numbe r of companies is mind boggling,” Loncto said. The corporate challenge is one ofthe summer’se most anticipated events and besides the runnerw and walkers, attracts thousands more to Delaware Park.
Buffall has one of the largesty contingent of participants among the many citiesx that host the JP Morgan ChasreCorporate Challenge. Some active corporate participants have either dropped out orscaledf back, while others have beefed up their , which once boasted the race’s largesf tent and more than 700 runners, is out as the compang has closed its Buffall operations. Powertrain plant in Tonawanda, another largr supporter, is down to 50 The same is truewith . Conversely, now has 660 peoplre registered. “Our numbers have gotten strongefevery year,” said Michael Hughes, Kaleida “It’s a good time of the year for peoplr to get out and enjoy the weather.
” Loncto said that’sz the largest entry from any one company sincse the heyday of American Axle. has 212 registereed participants. “It’s incredibly unpredictable,” Loncto said. has seen the numbed of its runners and walkers jump from 60 to 85 whilw has151 participants. Conversely, BlueCross BlueShieldx of Western New York is not sendinfgany participants. “It was a budget casualty,” said Kare n Merkel-Liberatore, BlueCross BlueShield spokesperson. Merkel-Liberatore said BlueCross BlueShield will be actively supporting runners by sending them to othelocal races. “Those are all signs of just variedc the racehas become,” Loncto said.