Bernadette Detrinis Memorial Walk/Run 5k

Bernadette Detrinis was a beloved mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, aunt, and friend to many. She worked many years in healthcare and was a strong advocate for meeting the needs of health care workers. She always tried to bless her co-workers with Irish Soda bread, gum, a clean joke, and prayers. The hope for this memorial race is to honor 3 causes that were on her heart.

1.) During her last few months, she expressed that she would like to host a scholarship for aspiring nurses. The money raised in this walk will go to high school seniors pursuing further education as a nurse or other health care worker. A scholarship application is being created.

2.) Bernadette had a passion for making sure her co-workers were practicing self-care. She had dreams of creating staff rooms that would be like spas. A portion of the funds raised will go towards stocking staff rooms with healthy snacks and other self-care items. Her vision was to have a massage chair and a foot bath in the rooms!

3.) Bernadette Detrinis' life was cut short due to stomach cancer. She absolutely hated how the chemotherapy made her food taste like metal and commented that cancer research and support should go towards improving chemotherapy and treatment options. A portion of funds raised will go towards research to improve chemotherapy and other cancer treatment options.

Our first year, we were able to give a scholarship to a Comsewogue High School graduating senior pursuing nursing! For our second year, another prospective nurse was granted a scholarship, a graduate from Boston Trinity Academy. We hope to continue to provide scholarships to nursing students in years to come and, if possible, give to other causes close to Bernadette's heart. This event will continue to be low key, but we hope to grow the event in future years! Our hope is to gather friends and family on the anniversary of Bernadette leaving this earth to go to heaven to walk in her memory and donate to her causes! This year we will meet at the Ward Melville track and participants can run, walk, skip, etc. for 1 lap, 1 mile, the full 5k or any amount! Those who can join us in person, we would love to have you walk with us! Those who can only be with us in spirit, can register for the event as a virtual walker and donate as able.

Learn more about this event and scholarship winners from the newly created website: https://sites.google.com/view/bernadette-detrnis-memorial/