More Than $65,000 Raised For Bethpage's Safe Center

BETHPAGE, NY — The Safe Center's first 5K run generated $66,000 for the nonprofit victim service organization.

The race took place on April 1 at the Bethpage headquarters using the slogan "Abuse is No Joke" for the April Fool's Day event.

The Safe Center is Long Island’s leading provider of services for victims of domestic violence, child abuse and interpersonal violence.

The winner finished in 17 minutes.

"It’s really about raising awareness and helping people better understand these issues," said Joshua Hanson, Executive Director of The Safe Center. "Unfortunately, for a lot of people who don’t have experience with these issues, it can be a joke, it can be a punchline. We want to help people understand the real impact on individuals, families and communities that all of these issues have."