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Palos Heights Chamber Health Fair/Expo and Palos Bank Southwest Half Marathon to Cooperate Again in 2009

In 2008, the inaugural Palos Bank Southwest Half Marathon included 1,700 runners and raised $5,000 each for Prostate Cancer Research and the Southwest Recreation Association (for special needs children), no small feat for the inaugural event. On Saturday, the day before the race, the Palos Heights Chamber of Commerce held its annual Health Fair and Community Expo on the campus of Trinity Christian College. Race sponsors, dozens of local businesses from surrounding communities and race participants, who came to pick up their registration kits, helped the Palos Heights achieve record attendance at the 2008 Health Fair/Expo. With 2009 marking the second year for this outstanding event, committees are anticipating even greater attendance.

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Photographed (from left to right): Bob Straz, Mayor of the City of Palos Heights; Tom Barcelona, President of Barcelona Creative Group; Gregory Paetow, President of Palos Bank and Trust; Mel Diab, Owner of Running For Kicks; Jeff Prestinario, Owner of Presto Marketing

The Palos Heights Chamber and Half Marathon organizers are already hard at work preparing for 2009 events. The 2009 Health Fair/Expo will take place on Saturday, May 2nd with the Palos Bank Southwest Half Marathon taking place the next morning, Sunday, May 3rd. More than 2,300 athletes, including runners from across the U.S. and foreign countries, are expected to take part in the 2009 race. World-class times were set in the 2008 Half Marathon, with runners, on average, finishing the race in one hour, five minutes and 13 seconds.

Registration for the 2009 Palos Bank Southwest Half Marathon is $50, and $15,000 of the funds raised at the 2009 race will be donated to the previous year’s charities as well as the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. The fees for exhibiting at the 2009 Health Fair/Expo are expected to remain the same as last year – $150.00 for members of the Palos Heights Chamber of Commerce and $350.00 for non-members. For more information, or to register as an exhibitor, contact the Palos Heights Chamber of Commerce at 708/923-2300 or email Denise Hyker, Administrative Assistant at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .