Delaware Park serves as ideal host
for Buffalo's corporate party of the year

BUFFALO, June 4, 2009 — Celebrating its 29th anniversary on June 4, Buffalo is the second oldest event in the Chase Corporate Challenge series. The race also annually hosts the biggest corporate social outing in Buffalo, and certainly one of the best parties on the five-continent Corporate Challenge circuit.

As the pictures in this Photo Essay suggest, Buffalo's corporate community just loves to come out to support the event and stay long after the racing has ended. This year, the race itself attracted 9,859 participants from 390 companies - including 99 from first-time participating outfits. And, an estimated 20,000 people enjoyed idyllic weather at the post-race party.

One reason camaraderie is so much a part of the scene in Buffalo is the race venue. Delaware Park is 350 acres of meadow, forest and lake. It is the jewel of a park system in Buffalo designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the "Father of American Landscape Architecture," who also designed Central Park in New York City, as well as other great parks across America. He may not specifically have envisioned the Corporate Challenge, but in Delaware Park he crafted a venue that is ideal for employees to run, then linger and enjoy a barbeque with colleagues.

Among those enjoying the charms of Delaware Park this year were companies such as (clockwise from top left in above photo): Independent Health, Erie 1 BOCES, Catholic Health, Moog, and Greatbatch.

All in all, it was another classic corporate social party in Buffalo. And, it was fitting that the event provided financial support to the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy's Keep it Safe, Keep it Fun, Keep it Green initiative.