FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Philadelphia Marathon and Half Marathon Reach Capacity;
Registration Still Available Through Participating Charities
PHILADELPHIA (October 13, 2011) – The 18th annual Philadelphia Marathon has
sprinted to the finish line and reached capacity, with a record number of
participants signed up for the 2011 race.
Organizers are now encouraging interested non-registered runners to support
a cause by signing up through an official charity. More than 25,000 runners
and 60,000 families, friends, spectators and residents will descend on
Philadelphia during Marathon Race Weekend, November 18-20, 2011.
Registration for the half marathon and marathon has surpassed last year's
total. The capacity of both events has been reached, but registration spots
are still available through official charities. Spaces are open for the
Rothman Institute 8K, but they are expected to fill up quickly, as race-day
approaches.
"We look forward to welcoming the more than 25,000 expected runners to
running's best host city," said Philadelphia Marathon Executive Director
Melanie Johnson. "Although registration for the full and half marathon has
closed, there are many spots still available through our official charities
for these two events. Running for a cause is a rewarding experience for
both the athletes and the organizations that receive immense support and
funds from Philadelphia Marathon Race Weekend participants."
The Philadelphia Marathon official charity partner is Students Run Philly
Style, a unique program that offers marathon training to help young people
succeed in life. The only one of its kind in Philadelphia, the program
connects students with adult mentors who help them imagine and accomplish
goals beyond their dreams, including the completion of a marathon.
Guaranteed entry to the Philadelphia Marathon and Half Marathon is
available through fund-raising for Students Run Philly Style. Visit
http://www.studentsrunphilly.org/future/ for more information.
Registration spots also are available through committing to raise funds for
most of the following charities:
• The Academy at Liberty Resources – The Academy at Liberty Resources is a
pre-vocational training program which helps people with disabilities build
the skills to be competitive in today's workplace.
• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation – Alex's Lemonade Stand emerged from the
front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra "Alex" Scott
(1996-2004), who at the age of 4 announced that she wanted to hold a
lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with
cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name
has evolved into a national fundraising movement (SOLD OUT).
• The Alzheimer's Association Delaware Valley Chapter – The Alzheimer's
Association is the premier organization for the care and support of the
294,000 individuals living with Alzheimer's and related disorders
throughout Southeastern PA, Southern New Jersey and Delaware.
• The American Cancer Society - DetermiNation is the American Cancer
Society's signature endurance event program that enables athletes to
dedicate their training and participation in long-distance races to the
fight against cancer.
• The Arthritis Foundation – The Arthritis Foundation is the leading health
organization addressing the needs of some 50 million Americans living with
doctor-diagnosed arthritis, a leading cause of disability.
• Back on My Feet – Back on My Feet promotes the self-sufficiency of
Philadelphia's homeless population by engaging people in running as a means
to build confidence, strength and self-esteem.
• Best Buddies – Best Buddies is dedicated to establishing a global
volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-on-one friendships,
integrated employment and leadership development for people with
intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Canswerlink - Canswerlink is a non-profit with a mission is to help make
cancer patients and their families' lives more manageable by providing free
monthly non-toxic housecleaning while they are undergoing treatment.
• City Year – City Year unites young people of all backgrounds for a year
of full-time service, giving them the skills and opportunities to change
the world (SOLD OUT).
• CORE Scholars – Since 2004, CORE has sponsored a need-based scholarship
open to all Philadelphia high school seniors that has awarded more than $27
million in scholarship aid to over 17,000 students (SOLD OUT).
• Covenant House Pennsylvania – Covenant House Pennsylvania is a private
non-profit founded in 1999 which offers a full continuum of services to
meet the complex needs of homeless, runaway, and trafficked youth under the
age of 21.
• Delaware Riverkeeper Network (DRN) - From the New York Highlands to the
Delaware Bay, the DRN gives voice to the 13,539 square mile Delaware River
watershed and all the communities that depend upon it, including portions
of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Delaware.
• The Hearts and Smiles Foundation – The Hearts and Smiles Foundation works
to provide assistance to low-income families with special-needs children in
the Philadelphia area, with a particular focus on the needs of siblings in
those families.
• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) - JDRF is a leader in
setting the agenda for diabetes research worldwide, and is the largest
charitable funder advocate of type 1 diabetes research. (SOLD OUT).
• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team
in Training provides training for endurance sports and since its founding
in 1988 has trained nearly half a million runners, walkers, triathletes,
and cyclists and raised over $1 billion to fund lifesaving cancer research.
• Lung Cancer Alliance – The Lung Cancer Alliance is the only national
non-profit organization dedicated solely to providing support and advocacy
for people living with or at risk for lung cancer.
• Magee Rehabilitation Hospital – Founded in 1958, Magee Rehabilitation
Hospital is a 96-bed hospital providing physical and cognitive
rehabilitation services for spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke,
orthopedic replacement, amputation, pain management and work injury.
• The NephCure Foundation – The NephCure Foundation is the only
organization committed exclusively to support research seeking the cause of
the potentially debilitating kidney diseases, Nephrotic Syndrome and Focal
Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), improve treatment and find a cure.
• The Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House – The Philadelphia Ronald McDonald
House provides a home away from home and supportive services to families of
seriously ill children receiving treatment at local hospitals.
• Ready, Willing & Able – Since 2001, Ready, Willing & Able has worked to
break the cycle of homelessness, addiction, and criminal recidivism by
providing paid transitional work, occupational training, housing, and
comprehensive support services to homeless and formerly incarcerated
individuals in its year-long program
• Tourette Syndrome Association – The Tourette Syndrome Association's
mission is identify a cause, control the effects and find a cure for TS
through funding a world-wide cutting edge research program. In addition,
TSA is dedicated to raising awareness, providing educational programs and
other services for people living with TS and their families.
• Variety – Variety – the Children's Charity of Greater Philadelphia - has
been serving children with disabilities since 1935 and takes pride in
providing programs and services to special-needs children that are designed
to best address the children's physical, social, medical, educational, and
recreational needs without regards to economic status, race, creed, gender,
or type of disability.
In addition to the above charities, attendees of the Health & Fitness Expo
on November 18th and 19th are encouraged to donate gently used running
shoes to the Perpetual Prosperity Pumps Foundation, an organization that
helps lift families from poverty by increasing small-farm productivity in
the poorest rural farm areas in Africa. Donated shoes are sold to vendors
in metro markets in Africa and the proceeds from the sale of the shoes
provide tools and training to impoverished West African family farmers. In
2010, runners donated more than 1,000 pairs of running shoes and the
Marathon was able to "adopt" families in Ghana.
For more information on participating charities, and to registration for
the Rothman Institute 8K, please visit www.philadelphiamarathon.com.
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