Honorees have always made a difference in the community.

The first Tribute Road Race was five-and-a-half miles long, rather than the five miles it is today.

Today, the race benefits student scholarships; at the beginning, the race benefited the Clinton Development Corporation for investment in community projects.

Each of the 108 runners in 1979 donated $2 to take part in the event.

But, just like today, a community person was honored before the runners hit the road.

Past honorees were:

1979: Judge Morris N. Gould

1980: John Gibbons

1981: Dr. Lawrence Burke

1982: Eleanor Philbin and William "Bingo" McMahon

1983: Mr. and Mrs. Harold Mills and Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Jacobson

1984: Albert McNamara and Catherine Philbin

1985: Mary T. Gibbons, Francis X. Boyce and John Murphy

1986: Martin O'Toole

1987: Mitch Gould

1988: Dan Young

1989: Daria Janda

1990: David Hazel

1991: Dr. Francis A. O'Toole and Edward Connor Sr.

1992: Archie Cataldi

1993: Bernie Gaughan

1994: Brendan Bailey

1995: Carol Ann Hamilton and Angelina Joyce

1996: Andrew Vetras

1997: Jack Moran and Rita Graham

1998: John Gorman

1999: John Shaver and Bernard Hastings

2000: Buzz Labbe

2001: Bernice McGrail

2002: Police and Firefighters

2003: Jim Gareffi and Ed Pyko

2004: Ellie Diguette, Bill Grady Sr. and the Clinton Rotary

2005: Debbi Marini and Nypro

2006: Michael Notaro and John McNally

2007: Tom...