11
QUEENS WEEKLY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2019
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
Mark your calendars
and grab your running
shoes — the 18th annual
Totten Trot in Bayside
is returning for a day of
running, fun and prizes
next month.
On Oct. 27, the Bayside
Historical Society will
present their annual Totten
Trot 5K Foot Race & Kids’
Fun Run through Fort
Totten Park. Rain or shine,
runners will go through
the historic park, out to
the Little Bay Path to the
Throgs Neck Bridge before
rounding back to the park.
The day will start with
registration at 7:30 a.m.
with the 5K race kicking
off at 9 a.m. At 10 a.m.,
the Kids’ Fun Run will
begin. Children 12 and
under will be grouped by
age and do short distance
sprints. All kids are
encouraged to wear their
Halloween costume and
will earn a “cookie medal”
for participating.
Just like in years past,
cash prizes and trophies
will be available to top
three overall male and
female winners in the 5K,
with $100 for first place, $75
for second place and $50 for
third place. First, second
and third place trophies
and medals will be awarded
to the male and female
winners of the following age
groups: 14 and under, 15-19,
20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-
69, 70-79 and 80 and over.
Awards will be given out
at in the ballroom of “The
Castle” during a breakfast
reception following the
races. Participants can
enjoy live music and have a
chance to win raffles from
local vendors. All runners
will receive a free goodie
bag full of gifts and coupons
from sponsors of the 5K.
All proceeds from the
event will go to support
the Bayside Historical
Society’s programming.
To register for the trot,
visit events.elitefeats.com/
october-2019-totten-trot-5kbayside.
The race is offering an
early bird special and will
cost $25 to register until
Aug. 31; after this date
registration costs $30 from
now until Oct. 12, $35 until
Oct. 26 and $40 on race day.
The first 150 sign-ups are
guaranteed a free t-shirt
Get your running shoes on and join in the fun during the Bayside
Historical Society’s annual “Totten Trot” through Fort Totten in
Bayside on Oct. 27. Photo courtesy of the Bayside Historical Society
Flushing teen sings at Open
Performed ‘America the Beautiful during early days of tennis tourney
Representing Flushing, Kelly Lukito, 13, performs “America the Beautiful” at the 2019 US Open. Photo by Mike Lawrence/USTA
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
A Flushing teen had
the honor of singing
“America The Beautiful”
at the 2019 U.S. Open
on Aug. 28, prior to the
evening session on Arthur
Ashe Stadium at the
Billie Jean King National
Tennis Center.
Kelly Lukito, 13, is
one of 12 vocalists (ages
14 and under) selected
by the USTA to perform
patriotic songs during
the night sessions of
the 2019 U.S. Open and
at Arthur Ashe Kids’
Day. The lineup for this
year’s talent features
kids throughout the tristate
area, as well as
from California, Indiana,
Pennsylvania, Texas
and Virginia.
Lukito, an off-
Broadway performer,
did her first musical
in the fourth grade,
she says. She played
the role of Flounder in
“The Little Mermaid.”
“I’ve been singing all
of my life. I do a lot of
plays, musicals, short
films,” Lukito said during
a pre-show interview. “I
am really excited … it’s
just wild and crazy. I
never thought I would be
here doing this.”
Lukito submitted
her performance via
a nationwide online
audition for the 13th
anniversary U.S. Open
Anthem Auditions. The
audition process began
earlier this summer
with close to 350
contestants vying for a
coveted spot.
A select number of
contestants from the
online audition were
invited to participate in
an in-person callback,
where they performed
in front of a panel
of judges from the
music and entertainment
industries.
“My advice to others
is to just be yourself
because a lot of people
have different voices
and you never really
know what anyone is
looking for,” Lukito said.
“Don’t be afraid and go
for anything because
you would be surprised
at the results.”
Past U.S. Open
anthem winners and
performers include
Frenie Acoba (“Matilda”
on Broadway), Angelica
Hale (“America’s Got
Talent” season 12), and
Brennley Brown (“The
Voice” season 12).
These children will
join the group of music
industry leaders who
have performed at
the event, including
Kelly Clarkson, Lenny
Kravitz, Ariana
Grande, Rihanna, Phil
Collins, Fitz and the
Tantrums, Renee Elise
Goldsberry, Diana Ross,
Art Garfunkel, Aretha
Franklin and Tony
Bennett, to name a few.
Headlining this year’s
Opening Night Ceremony
were Tony, Grammy
and Emmy Awardwinning
vocalist, actor
and Atlantic Records
recording artist Ben
Platt of Broadway’s “Dear
Evan Hansen.”
Reach reporter
Carlotta Mohamed by
email at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4526.
Totten Trot returns
to Bayside in Oct.
/events.elitefeats.com
/schnepsmedia.com
