To the editor:

On behalf of the Bainbridge Youth Services Board of Directors, we would like to thank our wonderful community, volunteers, businesses and civic leaders for supporting local youth by participating in this year’s Fourth of July Fun Run.

It took the generous support of nearly 50 local businesses and civic groups, more than 80 hard-working volunteers and 1,209 spirited participants to produce the biggest and best Fun Run in the 39 years BYS has been hosting this family friendly event.

Thanks to you, BYS raised more than $85,000 in registrations, donations and sponsorships from this year’s Fun Run — the biggest fundraiser and community outreach event of the year for the nonprofit that provides free counseling, free tutoring, job services and more for youth ages 12-21.

Special Thanks go to:

• Year-Round BYS Champions. In addition to sponsoring the Fun Run, premier sponsors CHI Franciscan Health, Windermere Real Estate and Kwik Lok took the lead in funding year-round support to local teens through BYS programs. And thank you to our silver sponsors for also providing year-round support in addition to the Fun Run: ACE Hardware, Clark Construction, Virginia Mason, Puget Sound Energy, Realogics Sotheby’s Beckey Anderson, Island Fitness and Starbucks.

• Fun Run Sponsors. We appreciate the ongoing support of our bronze, event sponsors: Brown Bear Car Wash, Braces Inc., Hill Moving, Brackenwood Capital Management, Bainbridge Athletic Club, Ihland Garden Dental Care, Merrill Lynch, Westside Pizza, RBC Wealth Management, Taste of Lynwood, Town & Country, Kitsap Physical Therapy, Smallwood Design and Construction, Sage, Bainbridge Dental, Kitsap Credit Union and Island Rock Gym.

• In-Kind Contributors. We are grateful to these companies for donating products, skills, space and time: Umpqua Bank, Reliable Storage, Sound Reprographics, Custom Printing, Crystal Springs, City of Bainbridge Island, Bainbridge Police, Bainbridge Island Ambulance, Winslow Green Association, Rotary Helping Hands. Graphic artists Debbie Stearns and Sally Chabot, tech guru Scott Stanton and the Bainbridge Review.

This truly was a community event overflowing with enthusiastic, giving and caring people. Our local youth are the big Fun Run winners, thanks to you!

KAREN WEST, BYS Fun Run Coordinator

CEZANNE ALLEN, BYS Executive Director

TOM McCLOSKEY, BYS President