“Derrill became a patient of mine toward the end of his battle with Leukemia. I knew him for a short five months, but it was clear from the beginning that he was someone special. Even with his illness he had that twinkle in his eyes. We talked a lot about the community, as that was a big part of both of our lives. His dedication to the town and the citizens of Easthampton reached far beyond his service as a police officer. That’s why I wanted to sponsor this race, in honor of his lifetime dedication and commitment to this community. He would be proud that we were all getting together to race and celebrate. Please join us for the race and please contribute what you can to this important cause."