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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; No one has done more for the area running community than Vince Wojnar.</p><p>Nobody even comes close.</p><p>On Thursday night, Wojnar was honored by the Wyoming Valley Striders running club, the club he helped found in 1975, with a park bench placed in Kirby Park.</p><p>The bench features a plaque that reads: &#8220;In Honor of Vince Wojnar Athlete, Coach, Teacher, Official and Friend to All Runners Wyoming Valley Striders Dedicated 2015&#8221;</p><p>The bench was placed under a huge maple tree between two softball fields.</p><p>Wojnar &#8212; surrounded by fellow runners, family, friends, running coaches and Wilkes-Barre mayor, Tom Leighton &#8212; was thrilled with the dedication.</p><p>&#8220;I love running,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I love runners. I&#8217;m at home when I&#8217;m with runners. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. This is something I will remember for the rest of my life.&#8221;</p><p>Wojnar acknowledged the mayor&#8217;s presence by noting that he and the mayor were both inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame the same year, 2009.</p><p>Striders president, Don Grose, said that as the Striders celebrate its 40th anniversary, they saw it as a chance to also honor Wojnar for all the work he&#8217;s done for the running community over the years.</p><p>Wojnar got started in running by competing in the Junior Olympics. He ran for Meyers High School and was the Wilkes-Barre City Champ in the 440-yard dash, long jump and the 120-yard high hurdles.</p><p>He graduated from Meyers in 1955 and received a track scholarship from the University of Pittsburgh. At Pitt, Wojnar was part of the IC4A indoor mile relay championship team in 1958 and 1959.</p><p>He graduated from Pitt with a B.S. in mathematics. He served in the Air Force from 1960-1963. He was the Air Transport Service champ in the 440 yard and 880-yard runs in 1961. That same year, he placed third in the 440-yard dash and seventh in the 880-yard run in the Air Force World Championships.</p><p>In 1962, Wojnar was the Military Transport Service champ in both the 440 dash and the 440 intermediate hurdles. That same year, he finished third in those same events at the Air Force World Championships.</p><p>Wojnar taught math at G.A.R. High School and coached running. He started the cross country program at G.A.R. And he coached Maurice Peoples, who became an Olympian.</p><p>Wojnar recently announced that after serving as race director for nearly all Striders races for 40 years, he will be stepping down from those duties. But he will remain active as the running club&#8217;s secretary/treasurer.</p><p>Jim Moran, sometimes called the Vince Wojnar of Scranton, made his way from his home in Clarks Green to the attend the dedication. Moran talked about Wojnar&#8217;s help when running officials were organizing the Steamtown Marathon. And how Wojnar was the official timer for the marathon over the first two years. Wojnar still times the marathon at the race&#8217;s halfway point.</p><p>Coughlin High School running coach Paul McGrane perhaps described Wojnar the best.</p><p>&#8220;Vince is running in Wyoming Valley,&#8221; McGrane said. &#8220;He is road running. He is cross country. He is track and field &#8212; he is the man. He is involved with the novice runner all the way up to the elite runner. When you think of running, you think of Vince.&#8221;</p><p><strong>Schedule</strong></p><p><strong>Thursday:</strong> Susquehanna River Runners Club&#8217;s Valley&#8217;s Fastest Man and Woman series, Race No. 2. Breaker Brewing Company&#8217;s Giants Despair Mile, Laurel Run at 7 p.m. Info: Chris Wadas, 570-592-2820.</p><p><strong>Saturday, Aug. 22:</strong> Pittston Tomato Festival 5K Run at the festival grounds, just off Main St., Pittston at 10 a.m. Info: Jay Duffy, 570-574-0463.</p><p><strong>Thursday, Aug. 27:</strong> Susquehanna River Runners Club&#8217;s Valley&#8217;s Fastest Man and Woman series, Race No. 3, Murphy&#8217;s Pub Mile, at he pub, Slocum St., Swoyersville at 7 p.m. Info: Chris Wadas, 570-592-2820.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Vince Wojnar who help found the Wyoming Valley Striders Club in 1975 sits on a bench dedicated in his honor at Kirby Park Monday night. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_ttl081115wojanrnrnchspt-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Vince Wojnar who help found the Wyoming Valley Striders Club in 1975 sits on a bench dedicated in his honor at Kirby Park Monday night. </caption0><photoCredit0>Amanda Hrycyna| for Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_ttl081115wojanrbenchspt-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The plaque on the new bench placed in Kirby Park dedicated to running legend and one of the Wyoming Valley Striders founders, Vince Wojnar. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_ttl081115wojanrbenchspt-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>The plaque on the new bench placed in Kirby Park dedicated to running legend and one of the Wyoming Valley Striders founders, Vince Wojnar. </caption1><photoCredit1>Amanda Hrycyna| for Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Wyoming Valley Striders dedicate bench to Vince Wojnar</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Robert Miner</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Times Leader sports at 570-829-7143 or on Twitter @tlsports.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wyoming Valley Striders honor running legend Vince Wojnar at Kirby Park