ANNUAL PARTNERS FOR LIFE EVENT REMEMBERS FALLEN, RAISES AWARENESS AGAINST VIOLENCE

ST. PETERSBURG, FL (May 4, 2012) - The second annual Partners for Life Police Appreciation Run/Walk to remember St. Petersburg's fallen police officers and other victims of senseless violence will be held Sunday, May 6, in North Straub Park. The event, organized last year by Lorraine Yaslowitz in memory of her husband, Jeff, and fellow St. Petersburg fallen police officers David Crawford and Sgt. Tom Baitinger, raises funds and awareness in support of families who have lost loved ones to senseless acts of violence.

Online registration by credit card is still available for Sunday's event at www.floridaroadraces.com and participants may register during race packet pickup on Saturday from Noon to 6 p.m. and on Sunday at 5:30 a.m. in North Straub Park with cash or check.  Registration for the 5 and 10K race are $40 each or $70 for both, while the one mile walk registration fee is $30. Organizers suggest printing and filling out the downloadable registration form (www.floridaroadraces.com)  prior to onsite registration.

Both the 10 and 5K races begin and end at North Straub Park on Bayshore Dr. N.E., just south of Fifth Ave. N.E. Motorists will see some roads completely closed to traffic while others will allow limited traffic.

Bayshore Dr. will be closed to through traffic from 5 a.m. until approximately 11 a.m. for the morning's events, while limited traffic will be allowed southbound on Beach Dr., North Shore Dr., and First St. Organizers expect roads to reopen to traffic by 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

At 7 a.m., participants in the Officer Jeffrey Yaslowitz 10K follow southbound Bayshore Dr. N.E. and proceed west on Central Ave. to Beach Dr., run north (using the northbound lane), turn east on Seventh Ave. N.E. to North Shore Dr. N.E., (using the northbound lane), make a U-turn at 17th Ave. N.E. and proceed south on North Shore Dr. N.E., in the east parking lane. Participants will continue the route using the south parking lot of North Shore Pool, turn south on Bayshore Dr. N.E., west on Fifth Ave. N.E., and south on Bayshore Dr. N.E., before heading east on Second Ave. N.E. to circle The Pier. Then, heading west on Second Ave. N.E., runners pick up Bayshore Dr. N.E. for a loop around the Dali Museum.  Once around the Dali, runners move northbound on First St. (using the northbound lane), east on First Ave. S.E., and north on Beach Dr. (in the northbound lane), before heading east on Fifth Ave. N.E., and south on Bayshore Dr. to North Straub Park and the finish line.

Runners in the Sgt. Tom Baitinger Memorial 5K follow an embedded course with an 8:30 a.m. start from North Straub Park. The route follows southbound Bayshore Dr. N.E. to Second Ave. N.E., around The Pier and back to southbound Bayshore, where runners  loop around the Dali Museum, then travel northbound on First St. S.E., before turning east on First Ave. S.E. and heading north on Beach Dr. Runners follow Beach Dr. north to Fifth Ave. N.E. and the finish line at North Straub Park.

Participants in the Officer David Crawford Memorial Walk step off from the park at approximately 10:30 a.m., proceed south along Bayshore Dr. N.E. to Central Ave., turn north on Beach Dr. and follow Beach Dr. to Fifth Ave. N.E. and the finish line at North Straub.  All events are expected to conclude by 11 a.m.

For the safety of all participants, all vehicles must be removed from the route prior to the event.  No Parking signs will be posted and meters bagged in areas affected on Saturday. Residents who normally park on-street overnight should remove their vehicles by 5 a.m. Sunday, if parked on the route, to avoid being towed and ticketed. Residential parking permits will not exempt vehicles left on the street from being ticketed or towed.