Newport, RI and the Amica Marathon sets the stage for the LV’s grassroots effort
“LVs Hit the Rhode” The 3rd Annual Lasallian Volunteer Fundraising Marathon Team
A day plagued with a wet, windy, and cold Nor’easter could not dampen the spirit and ambition of 36 Lasallian Volunteers, and many more LV Alums, friends, family, and Brothers, as they braved the elements for the annual fund / friend raising event. Runners challenged themselves, pushing to complete the Amica 26.2 mile Marathon, United Healthcare 13.1 mile Half-Marathon, or legs of a Marathon Relay.
The real work started months before however, with hours of planning, weeks of running and cross training, and days of contacting family, friends, and sponsors to encourage donations to the LV program.
1st year Volunteer Ricky Vides finishes his goal of 26.2 miles. (Serves at Tides Family Services, Pawtucket, R.I.)
“The marathon started for me back in May, when I got involved in talking about organizing the LV led fundraiser event,” said Scott Baietti, 2nd year Volunteer at La Salle School, in Albany, NY. “After many months of conference calls and endless chains of emails between the Marathon Planning Team, it was a relief to finally be driving to the Ocean State for our marathon. It wasn’t until then I realized that this thing was actually going to happen!”
And the Marathon did happen, in some of the worst conditions imaginable, as one of the first Nor’easters moved through New England, dumping inches of rain and sleet, high winds, and bone chilling temperatures. Still, LV’s and supporters took the Newport streets, many running the longest distances of their lives to champion the Lasallian cause.
Scott Baietti (La Salle School, Albany, NY) and 1st year Volunteer
Jennifer Tyndall
(San Miguel School,
Camden, NJ) are
satisfied with their
accomplishments
“At the finish line I was so excited for myself because I bested my previous time for a half-marathon, and that, in the terrible weather,” said Baietti. “Back at the St. Joseph’s Lasallian Community in Pawtucket, I started to realize how proud I was of everyone who got involved in the event, and came through without really knowing how or why they were going run when we asked them back in July.”
For more on the fundraiser event or the Lasallian Volunteer program visit www.lasallianvolunteers.org