The arduous journey was done for a reason that brought smiles to the faces of not only those watching, but also the runners themselves. But even the biggest of smiles on Friday couldn’t match the smile of Laurel Hotelling.

“Laurel would have a smile face-wide,” Wayne Hotelling, Laurel’s father, said of how his daughter would react if she were at Friday’s event. “She would be right in the middle of it, enjoying it.”

Elaine Hotelling, Laurel’s mother added, “She would probably be riding her three-wheel bike right in the midst of all of this.”

The 29th annual Laurel Memorial Run commenced Friday with the relay portion of the festivities in honor of Laurel Hotelling, a beloved member of the Silver Creek community who lived an impactful life with Down’s Syndrome. Laurel passed away in November of 2017.

Runners arrived at the Resource Center in Dunkirk on Friday afternoon to celebrate the first day of the annual Laurel Memorial Run to benefit the Resource Center. Photo by Braden Carmen

Wayne Hotelling said of the turnout at Friday’s celebration, “It’s so uplifting to us.”

Runners arrived at the Resource Center around 1 p.m. Friday, for a celebration under the pavilion overlooking Lake Erie. This year, Laurel’s sister, Donna, visited from out of state to attend the event. She noted that many of her former classmates still participate in the Laurel Run.

“It’s always a great time,” Donna said. “It’s a fun crowd. Everybody seems happy.”

New York Sen. George Borrello also visited the Resource Center to present a certificate of recognition for the Laurel Run’s 29 years of service to the community.

“I’ve known Wayne and Elaine for a long time. What they have done to bring attention and resources — and really, respect — for those folks that have special needs, to help the Resource Center, this is really a highlight,” Borrello said. “… I love to be here to cheer them on.”

Wayne and Elaine Hotelling are pictured with their daughter, Donna, middle, at the Resource Center in Dunkirk on Friday to kick off the 29th annual Laurel Memorial Run. Photo by Braden Carmen

The Laurel Run, through its many festivities and platforms, provides two days each year to celebrate the potential and ability that exists within people, regardless of their disabilities. Runners of all ages return each year to participate in the event. While the namesake of the race has passed away, Laurel’s legacy continues to live on in the community.

“Hundreds of people stop us to talk to us about Laurel,” Wayne Hotelling said. “… So many kids have been affected by this. You see them afterwards and they stop and talk to you about it. It’s just a good feeling.”

Elaine Hotelling said of her daughter, Laurel, “She liked everybody, and everybody liked her.”

While many things have changed since Laurel was born more than 60 years ago, the Laurel Run has become a constant in the community. Wayne Hotelling thanked all those who support the event each year, from participants to volunteers and local officials who have always helped the event with whatever it needs to succeed.

“We’ve had so much support from Silver Creek, Forestville, Dunkirk, Fredonia, and so many other towns and communities,” Wayne Hotelling said.

Holding the celebration at the Resource Center each year to kick off the event holds special meaning to the Hotellings, not only because of the impact the event has on the Resource Center – both financially and socially – but also because it reminds them of Laurel’s time at the Resource Center herself. Laurel spent several years at the Resource Center and quickly ascended to a popular status within the building’s walls. One employee joked that Laurel was like a manager, running the show.

“She enjoyed the attention, the appreciation, the love. Everything was a celebration,” Donna said of her sister.

“That’s just the way she was,” Wayne Hotelling said. “She was loved. … She changed our lives.”

The Laurel Memorial Run/Walk continues today, July 19, in Silver Creek, where the Hotellings made their home throughout Laurel’s life. The event, in its 29th year in its current format, features a 5K run/walk; an 8K run; a 1K Fun Walk; children’s runs; and Laurel’s Lap, designated for anyone with a disability.