EASTHAMPTON - The outpouring of support from community members for the past weekend's first annual ''Derrill's Race'' wowed participants and organizers.

A crowd of roughly 300 attended the race, which congregated at the Public Safety Complex Saturday morning. The race was held to honor the memory of police Detective Sgt. Derrill Stoddard, who died of leukemia early this February. Proceeds from the race went to the Cam Neely Foundation For Cancer Care, a charity to support cancer patients and their families.

In all, the 222 adult runners/walkers and eight children runners raised approximately $6,000 for the foundation. Twenty-six local businesses donated money, food, music, massages, entertainment, prizes and T-shirts.

''It's all a little overwhelming,'' said chief event organizer and sponsor Shelley Wilton. ''When I first thought up (the race) I thought it would be crazy if we got 50 people. I never thought it would be like this.''

''The community support really made this event a great success,'' added race committee member Judy Vieu.

Wilton owns Wellness Within Chiropractic on Liberty Street. Stoddard was a patient of hers for five months before his passing. Wilton said it was easy to get to befriend and appreciate Stoddard. When she heard news of his death Wilton said she instinctively knew a race would be the perfect way to memorialize him.

''I had a list of community-minded things I wanted to do when I opened my practice,'' Wilton said. ''I'm very big on community activity and wellness and one of the things on my list was a race and I wanted to do it with a charity attached to it. When I was going through my files (at work) and I pulled out Derrill's and I was about to put an inactive sticker on it I noticed his birthday was April 30. I don't know why it just hit me that a race was the thing to do for Derrill and the community.''

The race began at 10 a.m. at the Public Safety Complex. The race route followed the Manhan Rail Trail and looped back to end at Wilton's chiropractic office. Adults ran five miles and children ran one mile in their separate races. Runners were awarded with a carnival-like celebration in the parking lot of Wilton's business with games for kids, free massages for runners, food, music, medals, trophies and a multi-prize raffle for all the runners and walkers in the race.

The race was also sponsored by the Easthampton police department and was the first first event ever held on the newly completed Manhan Rail Trail.

Members of Stoddard's family said they were impressed with the race and appreciated all the support the community showed in participating.''It was excellent and I really enjoyed it,'' said Derrill's brother Michael Stoddard, who also ran in the race. ''This was very nice and I'm sure my brother would have been proud... (Derrill's) funeral and wake were huge so I knew there would be a good following for the race. People showed a lot of good support from the community. It was amazing and wonderful.''

Many who attended the race attributed the high community turnout to the importance of the fund-raiser and the friendly legacy Stoddard leaves behind.

''I came to support Derrill,'' said race runner Lisa Wilby of Easthampton. ''I knew him briefly, but he was such a great guy. (The race) was the right thing to do and it's nice to see the community really come out for it. Derrill really loved the Easthampton community.''

Stoddard, who died at the age of 53, was on Easthampton police force for nearly three decades, serving as a detective for 15 years. Stoddard was the department's first detective sergeant as well as one of the first field training and bike officers. Stoddard also helped form the department's first drug unit and community-policing program. He received numerous merit awards denoting his outstanding police and investigative work and accumulated 40 certificates of training throughout his career.

Ten police officers ran in the race to support their former colleague. Many more members of the department were seen in the crowds.

''I worked with him for six years. Derrill was pretty into fitness. He was always walking or running,'' said police officer Raymond Croze, who ran in the race. ''This promotes a healthy life style. I think he would have thought this was pretty good.''

Stoddard's impact on the community didn't halt at the borders of Easthampton. Many people came from out of town and out of state to participate in the event.

''I was coming up here to visit my grandmother in Amherst,'' said Matthew Forbes of Colorado. ''But when I heard about the race I decided to take a red-eye flight into Boston. It's a good cause and the scenery around here is beautiful and I like to run so I thought I'd do it.''

The race will be held annually on the Saturday closest to Stoddard's birthday, April 30.