To kick off the 27th annual Laurel Run, Janelle and Jaylah Cossin traveled more than 30 miles from Jamestown to Dunkirk by foot and by bike to raise money and awareness to the cause near and dear to their hearts.

The sisters formed a bond with Laurel Hotelling, a beloved member of the Silver Creek community who lived an impactful life with Down’s Syndrome, throughout their childhood at the First United Presbyterian Church in Silver Creek.

“Laurel was probably the only child to go through bible school and Sunday school for 50 years,” Laurel’s mother, Elaine Hotelling, joked. “She fit right in with all the kids. … It was good because that way, she kind of influenced a lot of different people. Everybody grew up with her.”

Laurel Hotelling passed away in 2017. In her honor, the Cossin sisters decided to honor her memory with a grand gesture, traveling from Resource Center to Resource Center across the county.

OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Runners arrived at the Resource Center in Dunkirk on Friday afternoon to celebrate the first day of the annual Laurel Run to benefit the Resource Center.

“We always did the Laurel Run, but we thought, ‘How could we do something more?’ “ Janelle Cossin said.

Jaylah Cossin added, “It meant a lot to us to do that.”

It’s the fifth straight year Janelle took the trip, and the fourth consecutive year Jaylah traveled alongside her. This year, they were supported by their younger sister, Joy, who drove the route with them. Even during the pandemic, the sisters still continued their annual journey.

“We came up with a saying, ‘Keeping the distance to go the distance’,” Jaylah Cossin said.

The Cossin sisters began at the Resource Center location in Jamestown, then made the arduous journey to the Dunkirk office on Lake Shore Drive and Brigham Road. Each year, the sisters alternate between running and biking evenly throughout the trip. The journey incorporates biking, in part, because of Laurel’s love for riding her own custom-made bike. A photo of Laurel proudly riding her bike was featured on a flag carried by one of the runners to arrive at the Resource Center.

“When she rode that bike, she’d take off and ride it all the way to church,” Wayne Hotelling said.

“Anytime anyone came to our house, they wanted to ride her bike. That was the fun one,” Elaine Hotelling said.

On Friday, the Cossin sisters arrived before the rest of the runners, then met up with a group to carry flags to honor Laurel as they traveled up Brigham Road and finished at the Resource Center.

Every year they have made the trip, the Cossin sisters have raised around $1,000 for the Resource Center. They often see notifications of donations as they are running or biking from Jamestown to Dunkirk, which motivates them to keep going.

“We’ll be back,” Jaylah Cossin said. “We love to do it. We hope the community can come out to join us and do more.”

The Laurel Memorial Run/Walk continues Saturday, July 15 in Silver Creek, where the Hotellings made their home throughout Laurel’s life. The event, in its 27th year in its current format, features a 5K run/walk; an 8K run; a 1K Fun Walk; children’s runs; and Laurel’s Lap, designated for anyone with a disability.

“We were just two parents who wanted to raise our child and treat the same as any other kid,” Wayne Hotelling said. “As a result of that, our kids got involved, then their friends got involved.”

Wayne Hotelling noted the community support has been touching over the years. “This wouldn’t fly without the support we have from the community, the county, the volunteers … everyone comes together. That’s what we wanted to do with this,” he said.

The event provides two days each year to celebrate the potential and ability that exists within people, regardless of their disabilities. It helps make the impact of Laurel’s life last far longer than the time she shared with the community she actively participated in throughout her 54 years of life.

“We were blessed with Laurel,” Wayne Hotelling said. “I know I’m a better person because of her.”