Liz Padilla 5K Oct. 4

For those of you who might be interested in what tomorrow's Liz Padilla 5K in the park is about, here's a summation from a colleague to put it in perspective:

"On Thursday, June 9th, 2005, we suffered the tragic, untimely loss of Elizabeth Kasulis Padilla. Always an active person, Liz was riding her bicycle to work when she was killed in a road accident. Her absence continues to weigh heavily on those who knew and loved her, yet she continues to inspire us through her legacy of generosity and kindness.

Liz, a graduate of Cornell Law School, joined the Volunteer Lawyers Project as a Pro Bono Coordinator/Staff Attorney in December 2004. She immediately focused her extraordinary talents and abundant energy on providing direct representation and counsel to clients with family law issues, as well as the challenging task of coordinating the efforts of the Project's volunteer attorneys, making certain all eligible clients received appropriate representation in family law, bankruptcy, elder law and housing matters. Her fluency in Spanish was a great source of comfort to many of the Project's clients. Liz was an active participant in the Project's Senior Legal Education and Assistance Program (LEAP), visiting many of the senior centers herself. Liz approached each day with excitement, eagerly seeking opportunities to give back to her community, especially to those most in need of a helping hand.

In addition to long hours at the VLP, her days were filled with an amazing mix of challenging and meaningful activities: tutoring high school students, training as a tri-athlete, enrolling in a trapeze school, running the NYC marathon with disabled athletes as a member of the Achilles Track Club - and so much more. More than anything, Liz loved her very special family, laughter and hard work. In the summer of 2005, Liz was planning a 5k Race to benefit the VLP, her unique way of joining two of her favorite activities. We dedicate this event to her. "

The race starts at 10 a.m at Bartel Pritchard Square (15th/Prospect Park West). There's also a donation page.