FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Cate Boyet
LifeSouth Community Blood Centers
& the Five Points of Life Marathon
Phone: (352) 224-1601
LifeSouth Community Blood Centers &
The Gainesville Sports Organizing Committee announce
The Five Points of Life Marathon in Gainesville, Florida
Sunday, February 19, 2006
(Gainesville, Fla.) Gainesville has long been known as a top-notch running
community. The environment and culture is friendly to runners; professional
runners come from across the world to train in the area; and plenty of
sidewalks afford countless ways to plot training paths.
One thing missing from the running scene in Gainesville, Florida is a local
marathon but, on February 19, 2006, that will change with the first Five
Points of Life Marathon and Half Marathon.
LifeSouth Community Blood Centers and the Gainesville Sports Organizing
Committee are proud to announce that they're coordinating the first Five
Points of Life Marathon. The marathon is a new component of LifeSouth's
Five Points of Life program to raise awareness for the five ways we can
share life with others through donation.
"We're looking forward to creating a first-class event that will showcase
our community to visitors and will build over the years into a premier
running event," Mark McGriff, GSOC board member, said.
The GSOC is the 17-year-old sports commission for Alachua County. It works
with the Alachua County Visitors and Convention Bureau to annually bring or
help others bring sports events to the community that create a positive
economic impact. The GSOC also has a stake in community activities that
enhance the citizens' quality of life.
Jack Hughes, executive director of the GSOC said, "Partnering with
LifeSouth Blood Centers to bring the Five Points of Life Marathon to
Gainesville helps us meet a very important part of our organization's
mission."
LifeSouth has three goals for the marathon, “The event will help increase
awareness of the need for lifesaving donations as well as serve as a
fundraiser for the Five Points program. In addition, training for a full or
half marathon is a healthy goal for people of many fitness levels. This run
is aimed at the fast runner, at someone who might be interested in walking
the half marathon, and everyone who fits in between,” Cate Boyett, race
director for the marathon, said. Many volunteers will also be recruited to
staff the route and ensure a successful event.
The Five Points of Life program raises awareness of the need for donations
of blood, apheresis, marrow, organ and tissue, and cord blood by
celebrating the health of both lifesaving donors and the recipients they
help.
Beginning with the first Five Points of Life Ride in 1997, LifeSouth has
found sports activities to be a natural way to bring people together.
Donors of all five points appreciate meeting recipients - people they may
have anonymously helped. Recipients have that same interest in thanking
donors.
As volunteers are recruited and participants register for the full and half
marathons, they will be asked to designate if they have been a donor or
recipient so that they can be recognized along the course. Event
coordinators hope to have many local donors and area recipients join the
event as runners and volunteers.
The Five Points of Life Marathon is partially supported through funds
derived from hotel motel taxes generated by visitors to the area and by the
Alachua County Visitors and Convention Bureau.
For more information, call Five Points of Life Marathon Race Director, Cate
Boyett at (352) 224-1601 or visit:
http://www.lifesouth.org/fivepoints/marathon.htm
Race Registration Fees Marathon Half-Marathon
Now through November 1, 2005 $50 $30
November 1 thru February 18, 2006 $55 $35
Day of Race $65 $45
____________________________________________
Gainesville Sports Organizing Committee
www.gsoc.com
300 East University Avenue, Suite 100
Gainesville, Florida 32601
352.338.9300
The GSOC mission is to be a leading voice of the sports and tourism
industries in Alachua County; to foster economic development and add to our
quality of life through sports utilizing public and private sector
resources; to recruit and create sports, recreation and entertainment
opportunities for the community that produce a positive economic impact; to
build an understanding in the community of the importance of sports
and tourism; and to do so with skill, while meeting all industry
professional standards.
LifeSouth Community Blood Centers
www.lifesouth.org
4039 Newberry Road
Gainesville, Florida 32607
352.224.1601
LifeSouth's mission is to provide the highest quality blood components and
services at the lowest optimum cost. LifeSouth is a nonprofit, volunteer
blood center that is headquartered in Gainesville, Florida, and collects
and provides blood components for more than 110 medical facilities in
Alabama, Florida and Georgia. LifeSouth's Five Points of Life program was
founded in 1987 and has carried a message of donation throughout the United
States.
###
|
