Like most things in 2020, this year’s New Balance Road Race had a slightly different feel to it, but there was one constant from past events: our Rockstar Team JAF Athletes!
Originally set for August 16, 2020, in Falmouth, MA, the 48th running of the race became a worldwide virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing participants from all over to run/walk in their own neighborhood any time between August 15 and August 29.
We are so proud of our 28 athletes who participated in the virtual event all over the country, from Massachusetts and New Hampshire to Florida and Georgia! Though they were not able to run the traditional late-summer Cape Cod classic this year, our athletes did spend months training and fundraising throughout the spring and summer. Because of their hard work, we’re thrilled to report that the team’s collective 2020 Falmouth Road Race efforts have raised over $34,000, which will allow JAF to provide financial assistance to more than 50 cancer patients and their family members!
To our incredible runners: please know that there is nothing more selfless in life than sacrificing time, money, and sweat for a greater purpose, and we can’t thank you enough for everything you have done to represent our mission over the past few months.
This was the ninth consecutive year the Joe Andruzzi Foundation has fielded a Team JAF charity team for the race. Since 2012, hundreds of Team JAF Falmouth Road Race athletes have raised more than $800,000 to help fulfill our mission and allow patients to focus on the things that really matter during treatment.
A special shout out is in order for our top five fundraisers who went above and beyond the minimum donation: Julie Meelia, Jeff Liberman, Michelle Tsimtos, Jon Moussette, and Chris and Max Pilkington!
Be sure to check out our 2020 FRR Instagram Story featuring Team JAF athletes and Foundation supporters: https://bit.ly/31JD7YU
Though there won’t be a beautiful post-race Kelley Family backyard barbecue (as those who have been can attest), we did send out “BBQ’s in a Box” to all of our athletes and we are looking forward to hosting a virtual reception for our athletes where we can collectively get the chance to thank and congratulate them on their amazing work as JAF ambassadors these last few months.
Speaking of thank you’s, we do want to express our gratitude to the New Balance Falmouth Road Race Event Team as well as everyone over at the Number for Non-Profit Program. This was no easy task, and you hosted a remarkable virtual race with really engaging opportunities for athletes and charities to take part in. We also want to send a shoutout to New Balance for outfitting Team JAF athletes with awesome race tanks; Stop & Shop for donating gift cards for the “BBQ’s in a Box”; and our Patient Inspirations (Lauren, Katie and Katie C.) for giving our athletes a little extra boost as they ran their own races.
And, of course, we want to thank Team JAF’s amazing community of donors who have supported the campaigns of our athletes. Your generosity makes a direct impact in the lives of those battling cancer throughout New England, and we hope that is something you take great pride in knowing.
If you are still interested in making a contribution to Team JAF or an individual runner, all fundraising pages will be accepting donations through Friday, October 2, through GoFundMe.com here.