FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Series: Cities & Towns of the Boston Marathon
FRAMINGHAM
In the first of our City and Town segment ahead of the 128th Boston
Marathon presented by Bank of America, we head to the city of Framingham.
Framingham is the third metropolis that you pass through on Marathon Monday
between miles 4.8 and 7.3. We spoke to a selection of local residents to
find out about Team Framingham and how the community benefits from race day
in more ways than one.
TEAM FRAMINGHAM
In the fall of 2013, Team Framingham was formed. The program was created
with the goal of making their invitational entry distribution something
that would provide exclusive benefits for the residents of Framingham, the
city employees and Framingham focused charities.
The Team Framingham program has evolved and excelled beyond anyone's
wildest imagination when it comes to fundraising and training. Eleven years
on, the team is set to hit the $1 million mark at the 128th Boston
Marathon.
Of the 200 team members in that time, 198 have successfully completed the
26.2 miles, 60% of those having never run a marathon before. The planning
and preparation of the runners and the team pays off.
Team runs happen every other week over the 22-week buildup, with an open
invitation extended to other local or regional runners who would like to
join. Some years runners have even travelled from Texas and Maryland to
jump on the bus for the final long run along the course.
The program is more than just training - they have regular meetings where
they welcome guest speakers; it includes a community partnership with the
Metrowest YMCA with complimentary memberships to team runners during the
training period; fundraising support is provided; the Greater Framingham
Running Club offers mentorship to those who want it; Framingham Public
School bus company provides free buses for their three point-to-point long
runs and on marathon day; street banners are made for each runner and hung
on the street poles in downtown Framingham.
We can share the facts and figures, but there is no truer endorsement than
to hear directly from those involved on all sides of the program...
THE VOICES OF FRAMINGHAM
Framingham Mayor Charlie Sisitsky said, "I was happy to vote to create Team
Framingham when I was on the Framingham Board of Selectmen in 2013. It was
a wonderful idea by former Selectman Mike Bower.
"Team Framingham has been and continues to be an amazing success. Since
Team Framingham was created, it has raised $935,000 for organizations that
help Framingham residents. It is scheduled to surpass $1 million with Team
Framingham 2024. But Team Framingham is more than raising money. It is
about creating runners, helping people achieve a dream, building a support
network, and creating civic pride."
Philip R. Ottaviani Jr., Framingham City Council Chair, Team Framingham
Corporate Sponsor said, "Team Framingham has had incredible success since
it was formed in 2013. This year they will reach over one million dollars
in donations since its inception. I am happy that my family has been able
to support this incredible group of community volunteers and runners. This
is a true collaboration of the City, volunteers, and runners."
Brandon Ward, Framingham City Councilor, Team Framingham Runner said, "I
love Team Framingham not only because it promotes and supports local
Framingham nonprofits doing great work, but more so because it builds a
sense of togetherness, camaraderie, and pride within our community. To put
it simply, Team Framingham is a representation of the best Framingham has
to offer. It breaks down barriers and misconceptions about who is and isn't
able to run a marathon - and once you've run the marathon as a part of Team
Framingham, you're forever connected to the program. Every town or city
along the race route deserves to have their very own ‘Team Framingham'."
Michael P. Cannon, Framingham City Councilor, Team Framingham Corporate
Sponsor said, "Running the Boston Marathon to raise much needed funds for a
local Framingham charity is probably the most difficult way to support
one's community. It's an undertaking that takes months of training during
challenging weather conditions; it involves raising thousands of dollars
while persevering through injuries and countless other obstacles. Yet
nearly everyone who crosses the starting line in Hopkinton for Team
Framingham (many of them first time distance runners) successfully cross
the finish line on Boylston Street. It takes a tremendous amount of courage
for someone who may have never run a 5K to take on the Boston Marathon, and
to do so successfully."
Mike Bower, Team Framingham Founder, Runner, and Steering Committee Member
said, "From the great tragedy that was Boston 2013, emerged a wonderful
community wide program that epitomizes TEAMWORK and PERSEVERANCE. Team
Framingham was born in the fall of 2013 and since then it has evolved into
a vital part of the City of Framingham's community fabric, bestowing upon
Framingham residents, employees, and charities the opportunity to be part
of the iconic Boston Marathon lore. From the earliest days of Team
Framingham our focus has been on training and fundraising and maximizing
them both to the benefit of our team runners and charities. Now in our
11th year we will surely top the $1,000,000 mark in fundraising and prepare
yet another group of team runners to get to the starting line on April 15th
full of confidence and ready to join the 198 other Team Framingham runners
who have successfully crossed the finish line on Boylston Street 26.2 miles
later. My work on Team Framingham has certainly been the most personally
rewarding work of my life. Long live Team Framingham."
Kevin O'Connor, Director, Framingham Adult ESL Plus, Team Framingham
Charity said, "Framingham Adult ESL Plus and the MetroWest ESL Fund have
been lucky enough to be a Team Framingham Charity a couple of times, and
every time it has been an excellent experience. Our runners helped us raise
money to provide free adult English classes. These classes open so many
doors for people, but it is even more than that- when they came to the
school for an exciting rally, it built so much school spirit. It also
helped our students learn something about the culture of their new home."
John Sucich, Team Framingham Runner said, "I was lucky enough to run the
Boston Marathon as part of Team Framingham in 2021 and 2022. I loved it. It
is not often you can say without hyperbole that something is a 'dream come
true.' Team Framingham is the reason I can truly say my dream of someday
running the Boston Marathon came true. To be able to do so with a group of
people from Framingham, led by a team that guided us along every step of
the marathon course, all while raising money for a local charity, is an
amazing experience. Marathon Monday was a challenge, but I couldn't have
been more prepared thanks to Team Framingham's training program and team
runs covering the course from Hopkinton to Boston. The only thing keeping
me from applying to run for Team Framingham every year is that as badly as
I want to run Boston again, I don't want to take a spot away from someone
in Framingham who has the chance to experience running the Boston Marathon
with Team Framingham for the first time."
Laura Terzigni, Vice President, Boys and Girls Clubs of Metrowest, Team
Framingham Charity said, "The Boys & Girls Clubs of MetroWest's Framingham
Clubhouse has benefitted from partnering with Team Framingham multiple
times and is always incredibly grateful for the opportunity! The Framingham
Clubhouse provides out-of-school services to more than 150 youth daily,
offers a robust teen center, and opportunities for youth to build their
great futures. An important aspect of the Club is eliminating all barriers
to access - which includes providing transportation from the public schools
to the Club every day. Every year, the funds raised by Team Framingham go
directly to providing safe, reliable transportation for our youth members.
Partnering with Team Framingham has also provided new role models for Club
Kids - each year, team Framingham members who are running in support of the
Club visit the Framingham Clubhouse to meet our youth members and share
their marathon training journey with them. For that, we are so grateful to
Team Framingham, the runners, and all of the supporters!"
Jenifer Feaster, Team Framingham Steering Committee Past Chair and Team
Framingham Runner said, "Over 10 years with Team Framingham, I have been a
runner, mentor, steering committee member, and this year, I'm also a
charity partner! It has been an honor to be part of every aspect of this
program and see the good it does for our runners and for our community. As
a charity partner with the Heritage Chorale, I'm excited to be part of what
will be the season when Team Framingham tops the million-dollar fundraising
mark over its 10-year history."
Stuart Hurowitz, Team Framingham Steering Committee Vice Chair and Team
Framingham Runner said, "As a Steering Committee member since its creation,
it has been wonderful to see the incredible growth of Framingham community
involvement and support for Team Framingham over these past 10 years. We
couldn't have reached our million-dollar fundraising mark for Framingham
focused charities or have our team members run by the incredible energizing
cheering section at Mile 6 on race day without this community."
Mark Goldschmidt, Team Framingham Runner and Fundraising Coach said, "I
have been honored to have benefited from Team Framingham in two ways: First
as a charity partner for about four years and then as a runner in 2017.
Since then, I have tried to give back as both a fundraising coach and
mentor to some runners. It has been a joy to serve as a Team Framingham
mentor and fundraising coach over the years since I ran. Through all of
this I have met some great new friends who inspire me to continue to enjoy
running."
Vernon Turner, Team Framingham Runner, Past Member Team Framingham Steering
Committee said, "Not in a million years! That was my initial thought when I
put my name into the first Team Framingham Boston Marathon lottery. Three
Boston marathons later (nine marathons in total), a past member of Team
Framingham Steering Committee, and a current race mentor, I fully embrace
the social, economic and health benefits that this program has brought to
the Framingham community. What a wonderful annual opportunity we get from
both the B.A.A. and the runners who step up to raise money for the best
causes!"
Kevin Lopez, Director, Hoops and Homework, Team Framingham Charity said,
"The fundraising that has been done on our behalf has been invaluable. And
it's not just raising the funds but ensuring that the overall goal of
making sure the community's needs are met is unmatched.
Team Framingham would like to thank all their partners and supporters
including: DPW, Parks and Recreation, City Clerk, Public Information
Officer and Webmaster, HR Departments for the city and the schools,
Framingham Public Schools, Keefe Tech High School, and the Government
Channel, Mayor Charlie Sisitsky and the Framingham City Council, all their
corporate sponsors especially Phil Ottaviani Realty Executives Boston West,
Mike Cannon Private Client Capital Partners, Petrini and Associates and
Atlantis Dental.
If you would like their training schedule or if you'd like to join them for
any of their training runs email
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