Team Demar / SRC History & partnership for the future
Team DeMar/ Scores Collaboration 2016 by Ann Henderson
2016 was a year of great accomplishment for many area runners. There were PRs, amazing training regimes (despite the weather!), happy new trails, multiple marathons, 100 mile races, New England and National honors and above all laughs and tears with new running friends. For me personally, running my first marathon (the Demar) pales in comparison to the devotion and achievement of so many talented running friends , young and old. Had I to nonetheless choose the most motivational and humbling part of this marathon experience it would hands down be the support of Scores running club and their championing of my Team Demar initiative. Team Demar was an idea I shared with Alan Stroshine early summer 2016. After looking at me like I had just told him I was gunning for a sub-3 pace, he turned his sympathetic Alan smile on. I presented a crazy idea that had been consuming my long runs alone. The thought of raising awareness and funds for our DeMar race evolved from the fact that many race fans and local supporters of DeMar have no idea how hugely important this race is for the philanthropic opportunities for Keene Elm City Rotary. It is most definitely a community building, healthy, multi-generational historic event but it also provides the annual funds our club needs to sustain and grow amazing programs that serve youth and families in our area and abroad. Alan and I quickly identified 5 of our most highly funded and long running projects- Team Childhood Hunger fighting this growing issue crippling the development of our youth, Team Wheelchair providing mobility for our Jamaican friends, Team Sneaker Project bringing every second grader in the area a new pair of sneakers to promote healthy lifestyles, Team El Salvador providing area high school students work opportunities while taking care of our brothers in Central America and Team Unsung Hero providing scholarship opportunities for non-traditional area students. Ambitious though it was, Alan believed in me and with the help of DeMar runners we raised over 12,000 our first year. Undeniably we could not have done it without the determination of Scores Running Club which raised almost half of these funds. When I spoke to Brad and Susanne about getting me 3 runners (pledging to raise 400.00 each) and thus securing a sponsorship slot for Team DeMar 2016 Brad challenged me to answer “and what if we raise much more?” I LOVE this way of thinking and in talking things through we agreed 20% of the proceeds of over 5000 could easily go from our coffers back to Scores. After all, their mission falls so precisely within ours- Scores to promote area running and offer scholarship assistance to area High Schoolers and ours to promote healthy youth in our community. Running this by our KECR board it was unanimously agreed that this situation was a win/win that united our clubs in our commonality rather than dividing us competing for petty turf sponsorship. Being on the board of both KECR and Scores I know great movers and shakers when I sit (or run or scheme or organize) with them and I also know that neither organization is self-serving. This budding partnership has amazing potential and I look forward to fanning the fire. Join Team Demar http://clarencedemar.com/register/team-demar |
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