FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Blue Ridge Marathon donates $10,000 to
Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway
Money to be used for Parkway beautification and education
Roanoke, Va. (June 25, 2012) - Organizers of the recent National College
Blue Ridge Marathon have donated $10,000 to Friends of the Blue Ridge
Parkway, the annual race's designated beneficiary.
The contribution will be used to support the organization's mission to
preserve, promote and enhance the scenic highway. The Parkway hosted a
share of the 26.2-mile marathon course, dubbed the toughest in America, on
April 21.
Pete Eshelman, director of outdoor branding for the Roanoke Regional
Partnership, and co-chair of the marathon, commended the National Park
Service for permitting access to the scenic highway. He attributed the
event's financial success to community support and sponsors.
"National College, Carilion Clinic, Fink's Jewelers and Foot Levelers
believed in this idea and supported this great community event relatively
from the beginning," he said. "Their support enabled us to properly market
the marathon as a destination attraction." Eshelman noted that the
marathon and half-marathon drew 1,092 runners, leading to a total regional
economic impact of $377,000, up 11.2 percent from the year before and the
most ever.
The marathon has donated a total of $42,500 for the first three marathons.
"We are grateful to be the marathon's ongoing beneficiary and will dedicate
these funds to preserve the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway," said
Friends executive director Susan Mills.
Next year's race is scheduled for April 20, 2013.
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