Dear fellow Hanoverians:
Hanover resident Meg Coogan has been an avid runner for 25 years. She has
6 marathons under her belt, and trains year-round. That alone is
admirable. This year, however, she will be running what for most of us is
unthinkable – two marathons in the space of six days.
The 52 year old Hanover mother of four children plans to run the Boston
Marathon on April 18th, and the Big Sur Marathon in California on April
24th. Both races are a grueling 26.2 miles. Boston is famous for
Heartbreak Hill and Big Sur boasts of a two mile climb to the top of
Hurricane Point. And somehow, Meg is going to run both of them in less
than a week.
For now though, Meg is focusing on Boston. She goes on 20 mile training
runs on Saturdays and 5 mile hill sprints on Tuesdays, among other training
regimens. The Granddaddy of all Marathons also comes with a hefty
fundraising requirement for those who run for a charity. Meg went through
a rigorous application and interview process and was one of 25 people out
of hundreds who was picked to run for the New England Patriots Charitable
Foundation. The money raised for the Patriots Foundation benefits the Myra
Kraft Community MVP Awards, which recognizes outstanding volunteers in New
England. Last year the Foundation gave out $200,000 to the volunteers’
respective New-England based non-profit organizations.
“It is truly inspiring to hear the incredible stories of each Myra Kraft
Community MVP Award winner,” said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft.
“Every volunteer has such a unique story about how they got involved in
their community and it is very touching to learn about their impact. These
individuals are making a lasting impact on a daily basis and we are excited
to have the opportunity to thank each of them for their commitment. This is
truly one of my favorite programs and I know Myra would be proud of the
work each of these volunteers are doing.”
“Raising money for the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards is an honor and
privilege and I am pleased to have been chosen to do it,” said Coogan.
“It has been hard, though. People think the Patriots have plenty of
money, but the Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards are completely fundraised
with no contribution from the Patriots. By raising money for the awards, I
am giving back to my community, just like the award winners. I hope to
raise $10,000 before Boston.”
Coogan is therefore organizing what she hopes will be a large fundraiser at
Quan’s Kitchen in Hanover on April 7th from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. The
public is invited to attend. Sports memorabilia with a distinct Patriots
flavor will be available for auction, along with raffles and a silent
auction. Tickets are $20 per person and will be available at the Hanover
Town Clerk’s Office and at the door. Come support Hanover’s most
impressive marathoning mother and wish her well as she runs “Boston to
Big Sur, 2 marathons, 2 coasts, 6 days”. Congratulations, Meg, you are
already a champion here in Hanover.
If you are unable to attend the fundraiser but would like to support
Meg’s efforts, donations may be made on-line at
www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/meg-coogan or by sending a check payable to
the “New England Patriots Charitable Foundation” c/o the Hanover Town
Clerk’s Office, 550 Hanover Street, Hanover, MA 02339. For more
information or to purchase tickets, contact Cathy Harder-Bernier at (781)
826-3937 or cathyhb@comcast.net , or Meg Coogan at (617) 827-0785 or
mrc9810@comcast.net .
For “Around Town on the Web”,
Cathy H-B
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