Cold wind and rain couldn’t keep 165 runners from helping to raise money for The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, at the 14^th Eileen C. Dugan Memorial 5K Fun Run on March 31, the first time the run was held in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

“The dedication of the runners, all the volunteers and the members of the Conservancy is a welcome reminder of how much this park means to all of us,” said St. Francis College President Brendan J. Dugan ’68. “I’m proud to be able to honor the memory of my sister with the realization of one of her most important goals, creating this gem on the Brooklyn waterfront.”

"The Conservancy was delighted to partner with St. Francis College and Brooklyn Bridge Park to bring the Eileen Dugan Memorial 5K to the Brooklyn waterfront,” said Nancy Webster, Executive Director of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy. “Congratulations to all the hearty runners who braved the elements and enjoyed world class views of the Brooklyn Bridge and the New York harbor. We hope this is the first of many Dugan runs in Brooklyn Bridge Park."

Several dozen St. Francis students participated in the event either as volunteers along the course or by running in the race which started and finished in the Empire Fulton Ferry section of the park and looped along the harbor from the Manhattan Bridge to Atlantic Avenue. Organizers expect the road race, held previously in Carroll Gardens, to expand the number of runners able to compete next year.

“Eileen Dugan would have been so proud of the runners that participated in the race,” said Regina Myer, President of Brooklyn Bridge Park. “I am thrilled that her legacy, a part of which was to advocate so effectively for the park, continues to support the park and the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy.”

The 3.1-mile race remembers Eileen Dugan, who was a New York State Assemblymember from 1980 to 1996. She represented the local 52^nd AD for nine terms. In 1996, Eileen passed away from breast cancer at the age of 51. Her early leadership and advocacy to create a public park on the Brooklyn waterfront were instrumental in making Brooklyn Bridge Park a reality.

About the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy
For 25 years, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy has been the lead citizens’ group advocating for the creation of Brooklyn Bridge Park. Over the past decade, as the park has come to life, the Conservancy has presented free educational, recreational, and cultural programs that have been enjoyed by more than 700,000 park visitors.

About St. Francis College
St. Francis College, founded in 1859 by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, is located in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. Since its founding, this Small College of Big Dreams has pursued its Franciscan mission to provide an affordable, high-quality education to students from New York City’s five boroughs and beyond. With small classes taught only by professors, numerous internship opportunities and highly successful alumni who actively mentor both undergraduate and graduate students, St. Francis offers a wealth of opportunities that puts all students on the path to success in both their personal and professional lives.

About Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park is a world-class 85-acre sustainable park. Designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, the park features expansive lawns, waterfront promenades, playgrounds, volleyball courts, a greenway, dog runs and numerous concessions. On September 16, 2011, the Empire Fulton Ferry section of the park re-opened, featuring Jane’s Carousel, a restored 1922 carousel housed in a beautiful new pavilion designed by award-winning architect Jean Nouvel. This renovated section includes an extended lawn, new lighting and lush plantings and new trees. By late fall 2012, Pier 5 will open, featuring three recreational fields and a picnic peninsula with barbeque pits, play equipment, and a concession building. The Squibb Park pedestrian bridge will also open in the fall, linking Pier 1 with Brooklyn Heights.

(Attached Photo: Brian Dugan, Executive Director Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy Nancy Webster, St. Francis President Brendan J. Dugan, Assemblywoman Joan Millman, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz)