Charity Running For The Boston Marathon
An opportunity to raise funds and run a great marathon
By Kevin Molloy
Posted Sunday, 14 March, 2004
With the Boston Marathon just over a month away, there are many other facets of this great event that tend to bubble to the surface at this time. Even though the race is in the heart of New England, it is a world event, attracting entries from every country where running is an important part of their of lives.
Charity running has become a very important part of the Boston Marathon, with millions of dollars being raised for dozens of worthwhile causes. For many of these runners who support charities it will be their first marathon, so in addition to raising thousands of dollars they have to train for the 26.2 miles that will face them on race day. The training program can take up to six months and will involve many tough hours a week, especially if training through a New England winter. This is a major undertaking and should be applauded.
Often a seasoned runner who has already qualified for Boston will take on a challenge to raise money for a favorite charity, usually because of a personal experience through a friend or family member. This year is no exception and thousands of runners will be supporting many great causes.
Recently we have received emails from a small group of charities inviting runners who have already qualified for Boston to help raise funds for their charities. In addition, offering a few Boston numbers for runners who are in marathon condition and willing to fundraise, but have not been able to run a qualifying race.
The particular charities and contact information can be found below:
- Spots on the 15th annual Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) team are
still available. Live your dream of running this world-famous 26.2-mile
road race and support the fight against cancer.
To apply for an official bib number or for more information, please visit
us online at www.dana-farber.org/dfmc or call 617.632.1970.
- Qualified runners are invited to join the Children's Hospital Boston Kid's At heart Marathon Fundraising Program. These funds help pay the medical costs of patients whose families cannot afford care, purchase urgently needed medical equipment, support pediatric research, and provide training for the next generation of pediatricians.
For more information or to join the team, contact Megan Trask at megan.trask@chtrust.org or call her at (617) 355-8822. Anyone can be a part of the excitement by simply sponsoring a runner. To sponsor a runner log on to http://www.chtrust.org/kidsatheart/Runners/ or call Children’s at 617-355-6890 and tell them you would like to sponsor a Marathon runner.
- MAB Community Services, formerly the Massachusetts Association for the Blind, is looking for two individuals who are interested in running the 2004 Boston Marathon.
Please contact Joe Quintanilla at 617.732.0241 or email joeq@mabcommunity.org if you have any questions or would like more information. Web: www.mabcommunity.org
- The Hopkinton (MA) Lions Club is looking for 3-4 runners to help raise fund for the Lions. Please contact Jack Speranza at jdsperanza@HopkintonLions.org.
- The Salvation Army of Massachusetts still has one space left on our team for an individual who is interested in running the 2004 Boston Marathon. Please contact Carrie Van Brunt at sabostonmarathon@aol.com or at 978.921.4315 if you would like more information or wish to request an application.
Additional information on the Boston Marathon charity program, plus a complete list of the charities associated with the program can be found at: http://www.bostonmarathon.com/BostonMarathon/Charity.asp
There is also the opportunity for qualified runners, to raise funds for any recognised charity without having to nominate a specific minimum amount. Please see http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/1/1_31/1500.shtml for details.
