JDL race held in memory of former student

By Laura Bounds

Staff Writer

In memory of Jerry Daniel Landsman, Salisbury University’s SafeRide sponsored its seventh annual JDL Memorial 5K SafeRun Saturday, April 4. Honoring "Danny," a former SU student, supporters of all ages lined up in front of Maggs Gym at 10 a.m. to run the 3.1 miles, equivalent to two laps around campus.

SafeRide and the Fishing Club founded the event after Danny’s passing in memory of him and his contribution to campus. The initial idea for a run came from Danny and his natural love of athletics and the outdoors.

"Danny always wanted to do a run as a fundraiser for SafeRide. He started the process and set up but passed away before the end of January so the SafeRide administration decided to keep it going and do it every year in memory of him," said Jerry Landsman, Danny’s father. "It started as a fundraiser but converted to a memorial."

Every year the JDL Run brings together various members of the Salisbury community as well as Danny’s family members and friends. Due to the hard work and upbeat atmosphere created by the SafeRide staff, this year’s race had a superior turnout.

"We had around 200 people come last year and from registration this year we’ve seen at least around 215," said Samantha Klenkel, a SafeRide team leader. "We’re really happy with the turnout; we had people out here at 8:45 a.m. People that didn’t even know him come out for the run every year, so I think that’s awesome."

Around $1,000 worth of prizes were given away after the race and every participant walked away with a complimentary T-shirt. Winning first place for the men was Student Activities graduate assistant Todd Ostrom, with a time of 17:25. Freshman Bridget McCarthy won first place for the women with a time of 21:12.

In addition to participating and being involved in the race every year, the Landsman family also funds a scholarship dedicated for SafeRide employees in honor of Danny’s commitment to the organization. Candidates can find the application online and must show their specific contributions to Saferide and how they are qualified to be awarded this scholarship.

"Salisbury’s been great to us," Landsman said. "SafeRide is a fantastic program. These guys work really hard and are very passionate about what they do. They’ve passed the age of Danny’s contemporaries but are still passionate about the race and him; it’s very uplifting."

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