SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. — For the 75th year, people gathered in Southbridge on the Fourth of July for the Leonide J. Lemire Road Race to honor a local soldier who died in World War II.

Organizers said the race is the nation’s longest-running Fourth of July road race, with runners first lacing up their sneakers for the annual 4.9-mile trek in 1950.

Maura Power and the Tri-Community YMCA have helped organize the race for the past six years, after the Leonide J. Lemire VFW Post down the street closed its doors.

“He was actually the first casualty from Southbridge in World War II, it was at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, and he was aboard the USS West Virginia,” Power said. “It’s been going since then, and literally people from all over come out for the race, it’s very competitive.”

As runners began to cross the finish line, there was no shortage of inspirational stories.

Michael DiDonato and Kyle Brodeur met in 2011 and formed Team Unstoppable. Brodeur was left paralyzed in 1997 at age 10 when a drunk driver hit his family’s minivan head on, killing his father Michael.

DiDonato had previously built a chair designed for long races for Rick Hoyt, who, together with father, Dick, inspired millions as regulars at the Boston Marathon.

“We built a chair for them as a favor to do the 2010 Boston Marathon," DiDonato said. "Shortly thereafter, I met Kyle’s mom at a bicycle shop and overheard her talking about Kyle's accident when he was 10 years old, and he was looking to have a sport again. So I offered to build him a chair and push him in races.”

Other volunteers and participants have been involved in the race their entire lives.

Mary Dowling grew up watching people race by her house, eventually joined the race and now enjoys volunteering.

“A lot of times I run the race myself, but this year I wanted to help,” Dowling said. “And it's really exciting to be on the other side too, cheering people on. I'm the youngest of five. And one of my brothers would run it all the time in high school and thereafter. And there's a lot of continuity in the race. You see high school kids, younger, older people.”

All proceeds from the race go to the Tri-Community YMCA, which annually gives upwards of $40,000 in memberships for military, veterans and those on active duty.