When Hale Reservation received bib numbers as part of the Boston Athletic Association’s Charity Program, they knew it was a great opportunity. But, where would they find 15 runners who could raise money and train for a marathon? Interested runners came from all over and many were very close to Hale.
“We had several people who were interested in running Boston—after all it is the world’s oldest continuous marathon,” said Paula McLaughlin, director of development and community relations for Hale Reservation. “I had inquiries from all over the world and determining how to round out our team was a challenge. We wanted people who understood our mission, and could meet the requirements of the BAA, which is to be able to run in under six hours and raise at least $4,000. I had people e-mailing me from as far away as Indonesia and as close as Dover Road. Eventually we settled on a team which included old and new friends of Hale.”
Westwood residents Jack Wiggin, Jordan Warshaw, Rob Malster and Chris Stanton are all running for Team Hale and have been busy training for the past four months. For Stanton, whose brother Mike is also part of the team, running for Hale was a logical choice.
“I live in Westwood and visit Hale frequently to hike,” said Chris. “I went to Hale as a kid as well. I recognize the importance and value of the summer camp experience that Hale Reservation provides to the Greater Boston communities.”
For Maryland resident, Jon Kennedy, running the Boston Marathon has been a dream of his since he was a child. His father Gary ran it years ago and Jon is bringing his dad to Boston so that he can watch him run the same challenging course he conquered 43 years ago.
“Tackling Boston was my goal, but I wanted to make sure that I ran for a charity that I could relate to,” Kennedy said. “When I was in sixth grade, I participated in an ‘Outdoor Education’ program that was at a place very similar to Hale. We did team-building activities and had hand hands on experiences that I still remember. I think every child should have these opportunities.”
Walpole resident Jeff Mahoney once worked as a counselor at Hale and came for a tour a couple summers back.
Mahoney said, “It was great to see the good work that is being done with these kids, especially those who have financial need. When I heard that Hale had bib numbers, I knew I wanted to run for them.”
Money raised through the marathon program will go to support the camp scholarship program.
“I am inspired by the runners. Some of them are complete strangers to Hale and were motivated to run for us when they researched us through the BAA web site. We now have 15 ambassadors for Hale who have learned about our programs and are helping to spread the word about what we offer to young people,” said Eric Arnold, Hale’s executive director. “We are so happy to be part of this program.”
Donations are still being accepted for Team Hale. To support the runners, visit www.razoo.com/story/Hale-Reservation.
Hale Reservation is a private, non-profit organization that manages over 1,130 acres of woodlands, including four ponds and over twenty miles of trails in Westwood and Dover. Hale is most widely recognized for its summer day camp programs, which annually serve over 4,400 children from over 70 communities in the Greater Boston area. To learn more about Hale, please visit www.halereservation.org.