FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (April 02, 2013) – On Patriots Day (Monday, April 15) this year, 10 Patriots staff, alumni and Women's Association members will lead the Patriots Marathon Team of 34 runners to the starting line of the 117th Boston Marathon.
After months of training, meetings and fundraising, the Patriots Marathon Team will run the historic race starting on Main Street in Hopkinton at 10:40 a.m. with the goal of reaching the finish line on Boylston Street while wearing an official Patriots Marathon Team jersey donated by Under Amour and All Sports Heroes in Lowell.
This year's Patriots Marathon Team, the largest fielded in six years, set an ambitious goal of breaking the fundraising record of $150,000 and have already eclipsed that mark with a record-breaking effort of $206,068 and counting. Patriots Chief Operating Officer of TeamOps and 13-year Patriots employee Mark Briggs has broken the individual fundraising record with more than $36,000 raised. In the five years since the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation has fielded a team, they have raised more than $500,000 for deserving nonprofits. For the third year, the funds raised will support the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards program which awards grants to nonprofit organizations through nominations of deserving volunteers in the New England region as part of the Patriots ongoing Celebrate Volunteerism initiative.
"The Kraft family and the Patriots organization would like to thank the entire marathon team," said Patriots Charitable Foundation President Joshua Kraft. "Thanks to their dedication and commitment, numerous deserving volunteers will be recognized. This year, we are doubling the amount of grants and because of the entire team's record-breaking fundraising efforts many more nonprofits will benefit through these awards in honor of our mother. We are proud of them, wish them the best of luck and will be cheering for them this Patriots Day."
This year's team includes runners from 10 states and a variety of Patriots staff members, lifelong Patriots fans, Patriots alumni, first-time marathoners and avid runners. Runners include second-year Patriots Marathon Team member and Patriots staff member Christy Berkery from Boston, Mass., 2012 fundraising record-holder and Patriots staff member Jeff Connors from Sharon, Mass., Patriots staff member Donna Spigarolo from Norfolk, Mass., Patriots Season Ticket Holder Brandon Harper from Boston, Mass. and Foxborough, Mass. native Jasmine Wu. Many runners applied following opportunities announced through the Patriots Facebook and @patriots Twitter accounts. When applying to the team, each runner submitted information about their desire to run on the team, which included stories of being lifelong Patriots fans, triumph over personal difficulties and a desire to lead healthy lives.
For more information about the Patriots Marathon Team or the Myra Kraft Community MVP Award program, please visit www.patriots.com/community. For more information about how to receive email or text alerts each time a Patriots Marathon Team runner reaches checkpoints throughout the race, or for personal stories about members of the team, please contact Sarah Leong Oliver at SarahL@patriots.com or 508-326-4336. Additional information and photos of runners available. The Patriots Marathon Team will host a pre-race dinner on April 9 at 6:00 p.m. at Gillette Stadium.
Eric Alexander - Quincy, Mass.*
Michael Bausha - Fishers, Ind.
Christy Berkery - Boston, Mass.*
Meredith Bielecki - Cambridge, Mass.
Julianne Bokemeier - San Jose, Calif.
Mark Briggs - Foxborough, Mass.*
Jeff Connors - Sharon, Mass.*
Meghan Dupras - East Bridgewater, Mass.*
Billie Edington - New York, N.Y.
Melany Engman - Charlotte, N.C.
Michael Flynn - Brighton, Mass.*
Danielle Fogarty - North Bennington, Vt.
Brandon Harper - Boston, Mass.
Andy Hart - Dartmouth, Mass.*
Samantha Hughes - Charlestown, Mass.
CJ Hunnewell - Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Stephen Hurley - Scituate, Mass.
Janeen Kardoos - Hingham, Mass.
Brian Kenah - Marietta, Ga.
Bill McQuaide - Andover, Mass.
Elizabeth Melampy - Dunstable, Mass.
Heather Niebel - Hollis, N.H.
David Morganelli - Milford, Mass.
Ella Pittman - Medfield, Mass.
Nicole Reis - Franklin, Mass.*
Raul Riveros - Darien, Conn.
Murilo Silva - Boston, Mass.
Donna Spigarolo - Norfolk, Mass.*
Jess Tourville - Boston, Mass.
Jim Walsh - Boxford, Mass.
Jessica Wayashe - Deering, N.H.*
Katherine Wilson - Hopkinton, Mass.
Trisha Winton - Canton, Mass.
Jasmine Wu - Glendale Heights, Ill.
*Patriots staff, alumni or Women's Association member
* All-time fundraising record-breaker*
