For More Information Contact:
Whitney Bowers 845-463-5446 Whitney@DutchessTourism.com
Poughkeepsie ... Registration is now open online for the 2019 ThinkDIFFERENTLY Dash and Queen City Mile, a partnership between Dutchess County Government, Dutchess Tourism Inc., and First Friday Poughkeepsie. The ThinkDIFFERENTLY Dash and Queen City Mile is a run/walk through the City of Poughkeepsie for individuals of all abilities, and all are welcome to participate.
The Dash and Mile will join the citywide First Friday celebration again on September 6, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Pre-registration is $5 per person through September 3. Participants are guaranteed T-shirts and finisher medals if they register before Tuesday, August 13; day-of registration ($10) will be available beginning at 4:30 p.m. on September 6.
The race route will remain the same as in 2018 and will begin and end outside 22 Market Street; the course will also include Main, Academy, and Cannon streets. Road closures will begin on event day at 3:00 p.m. ThinkDIFFERENTLY Dash participants will loop around once, and the Queen City Mile will consist of two loops.
“We welcome all ThinkDIFFERENTLY dash participants back to the City of Poughkeepsie and are thrilled to host the fun run/walk along with First Friday Poughkeepsie. The Dash is the perfect way to kick off our city-wide First Friday street dance party and we welcome everyone of all abilities to join us in the fun,” said Mayor Rob Rolison.
This year marks the ThinkDIFFERENTLY Dash’s fourth year, having attracted nearly 1,500 total participants in the previous three years.
“ThinkDIFFERENTLY is a call to action to focus on the inherent potential of every individual, regardless of perceived ability. We are excited to collaborate again on the fourth annual ThinkDIFFERENTLY Dash and Queen City Mile, showcasing the spirit of our community’s inclusiveness,” said County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro.
County Executive Molinaro conceived the ThinkDIFFERENTLY initiative in 2015 as a way of fostering a more inclusive community for individuals all abilities. Dutchess County has since taken numerous steps to ThinkDIFFERENTLY, including holding events, such as its annual picnic for children with special needs and their families, free sensor-friendly movie days and the Dream and Do baseball camp at Dutchess Stadium for children and young adults of all abilities, and hosting the Special Olympics New York Winter Games in 2016 and 2017, as well as the 2019 Summer Games. Additionally Dutchess County has funded, through the Community Development Block Grant Program, several projects featuring accessible infrastructure; appointed a Deputy Commissioner for Special Needs, the first such position in New York State; educated law enforcement officers, corrections officers, 911 dispatchers and first responders in Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) and Mental Health First Aid; and partnered with the Anderson Center for Autism to provide “Autism Supportive Environment” training, teaching local businesses and community groups how to communicate better with and provide a more welcoming environment for residents with autism. More information about the ThinkDIFFERENTLY initiative, including a calendar of upcoming inclusive events, is available at www.thinkdifferently.net.
First Friday Poughkeepsie is held every month from May through October, dependent on weather, and aims to increase awareness about the City of Poughkeepsie and showcase it as a thriving, safe, and attractive place to live, run and do business. For further information and to register go to, firstfridaypk.com or dutchesstourism.com.
