Contact: Dan Finanger Jackie Liu
Executive Director Media & Public Relations Manager
612-925-3500, Ext. 12 612-925-3500, Ext. 13
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TWIN CITIES MARATHON REGISTRATION IS FULL
100 spots available through race entry silent auction
Minneapolis, Minnesota – May 15, 2002 – As one of the top destination
marathons in the United States, the Twin Cities Marathon (TCM) has once
again reached its limit of 8,500 participants in record time.
Registration for the 21st running of the TCM on Sunday, September 29
filled in 14 days. In 2001, the field of 8,500 filled in 19 days. Due to
the early closure, TCM will auction off 100 additional marathon race
entries in a silent mail-in auction to benefit its selected community
contribution partners.
This is the 16th year that the marathon has filled its registration field
limit. The race entry silent auction program provides an extended, last
chance opportunity for people to register and donate funds to TCM’s
selected community non-profit organizations. "To see our race filled so
quickly is very exciting," says Dan Finanger, TCM Executive Director. "It
is a great tribute as to what a successful event we put on."
Donations raised through this silent auction will contribute to TCM’s goal
of raising $50,000 for its designated 2002 community contribution
partners: Assistive Technology of Minnesota, Bolder Options, Children’s
Cancer Research Fund, Second Harvest Heartland, Team USA Minnesota, and
the TCM scholarship program.
Race Entry Silent Auction Rules and Regulations
The minimum bid is $100 and one bid is allowed per person. Bids must be
accompanied by a check or money order made out to the Twin Cities
Marathon. Checks for non-winning bids will be returned. All bids must be
postmarked no later than Friday, June 7, 2002 and should be mailed to:
Community Contributions - Silent Auction, c/o Twin Cities Marathon, 2925
Dean Parkway, Suite 110, Minneapolis, MN 55416. The 100 highest bids will
be accepted for entry into the 2002 TCM and winners will be notified as
soon as possible after the auction. In the event of a tie for the 100th
entry, the winning bid will be selected by a drawing. All amounts over
the $65 registration fee are tax deductible and will benefit the TCM
community contributions. For more information, please call the Twin
Cities Marathon office at 612-925-3500, Ext. 10 or visit the TCM website
www.TwinCitiesMarathon.org.
The 2002 TCM weekend is September 27-29. The TCM will host the 2002 USA
Men’s, Women’s and Masters Marathon Championships. The three-day weekend
celebration of fitness includes a 5K Fun Run/Walk, children’s fun runs,
pasta dinner, two-day health and fitness expo and a 10-mile race in
addition to the marathon. Major corporate sponsors for the marathon are
Cub Foods, Calhoun Beach Club and Seagate. The major media sponsors are
KARE 11 and Cities 97. Twin Cities Marathon, Inc. is a non-profit
organization that directs the TCM weekend as a community service for the
Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Visit us at www.TwinCitiesMarathon.org.
2002 TCM Community Contribution Partners
Assistive Technology of Minnesota (ATMN) is a non-profit organization
dedicated to increasing technology applications and opportunities for
people with disabilities. ATMN’s mission is to develop a statewide,
comprehensive, consumer responsive system of technology for people with
disabilities. ATMN’s values include; increasing awareness throughout
Minnesota of assistive technology devices and services available for
people with disabilities, collaborating with other providers in the
delivery of services and training to enhance the most effective
utilization of assistive technology, providing resource and referral
information to persons with a disability to access assistive technology
devices and services, "Fill a gap" in the current delivery of services
through innovative programs that meet the assistive technology need of
persons living with a disability, and extending opportunities for disabled
persons by working in conjunction with the STAR Program to expand
assistive technology services. For more information, visit www.atmn.org
or call 763-479-8239.
Bolder Options is a year round, short term, one on one mentoring program
that uses running and biking to reach at-risk youth ages 10-15. Youth are
paired with adult mentors and either run or bike together twice a week for
twelve weeks while training to complete three races together. At the
heart of the program is the matching of youth with a suitable mentor.
Together, pairs establish agreed upon distance goals, which progressively
increase participant’s stamina, self-confidence, and self-esteem. Making
a 12-week commitment to a youth makes a difference in the life of a mentor
as well. Use your love for running, discipline and patience to help a
young person set goals for running and their future. For more information
on how you can get involved visit www.BoulderOptions.org, email
Volunteer@BoulderOptions.org or call 612-871-8777, Ext. 207.
Children’s Cancer Research Fund provides critical funding to the
University of Minnesota Cancer Center for research and training related to
the prevention, treatment and cure of childhood cancers and is dedicated
to improving the quality-of-life for pediatric cancer patients and their
families. Since 1980, Children's Cancer Research Fund has raised more
than $29 million. While eight out of 10 children diagnosed with cancer
can be successfully treated, cancer is still the leading cause of death by
illness among children. For more information about Children’s Cancer
Research Fund, visit www.ChildrensCancer.org or call 952-893-9355.
Second Harvest Heartland solicits, warehouses and distributes food and
other grocery products for more than 700 agencies in 61 counties in
Minnesota and western Wisconsin. These agencies, which serve those in
temporary or long-term need, include food shelves, on-site meal providers
and shelters. Second Harvest Heartland also operates a prepared food
rescue program and a community kitchen. Additionally, it provides direct
service to seniors and families through several publicly funded nutrition
programs. Second Harvest Heartland advocates on behalf of hunger relief
in Minnesota and nationally through its affiliation with America's Second
Harvest. For more information, www.2Harvest.org.
Team USA Minnesota, a non-profit organization, is a coordinated effort to
bring resources together to improve post-collegiate American distance
running and develop future Olympians. The Team USA Minnesota Distance
Training Center is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul, and
is one of four distance training centers designated in the United States
by Running USA and USA Track & Field. Its major sponsor is Life Time
Fitness. For more information about Team USA Minnesota, as well as
profiles of its athletes and coaches, visit the web site at
www.TeamUSAMinnesota.org.
The TCM Scholarship Program provides a $1,000 scholarship to one female
and one male graduating high school student-athlete planning to go to
college. The student-athlete must be a cross-country and/or track and
field runner and have participated in distances of 800 meters and longer.
Eligible student-athletes must also be students at a high school in the
seven-county Twin Cities metro area. Applications will be available
October 2002. For more information, call 612-925-3500.
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