The Michael Lisnow Respite Center held its 21st annual Michael’s Run Oct. 20. In addition to raising money through the 5K race, the day featured live music, pumpkin decorating, balloon animals and lawn games. The race itself included participants in strollers, runners and walkers all the way up to age 79 and drew diverse entrants with middle and high school athletes as well as those in wheelchairs.

   In all, 255 registered participants finished the race, meeting an enthusiastic crowd at the finish, with cheers and high fives for all.

  Michael’s Run is held each year in memory of Michael Lisnow, for whom the Respite Center is named. Lisnow’s death at age 10 came a year before the Respite Center opened, but Michael’s Run continues to honor his life and spirit.

   Originally conceived of when Lisnow was 8 years old, the Respite Center provides services for adults and children with disabilities, including their adult day program, weekend respite care, afterschool care, day care, employment support and residential placements. In addition, they partner with Elmwood School to teach disability awareness, answer questions about disabilities, and host students for a field trip to the Respite Center.

   This year’s overall winner of the 5K, Sam Felsenfeld, finished with a time of 20:13 and Hopkinton’s Maureen Tumbleton won for the women with a time of 22:55.  As they have done for the past couple of years, Hopkinton High School football players ran with Respite Center participants, in many cases pushing wheelchairs or holding hands with athletes to help them along the way.