Press Release - Akron Marathon - 6/15/05

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                       Contact: Kimberlee McKee
                                                (877) 375-2786
                                                
                                               

    Road Runner Akron Marathon Introduces Run for Charity! Program

AKRON, Ohio - (June 16, 2005) - The Road Runner Akron Marathon & Team 
Relays is offering its long blue line as a fund-raising opportunity for 
charitable organizations. The program called Run for Charity! encourages 
charities to hold their own fund-raising event within the various race day 
events - marathon, five-person team relay, two-person marathon relay or 
Kids Fun Run - scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 1. 

"Many runners have been motivated in the past to compete in races to 
raise money for a favorite charity," said Kimberlee McKee, Operations 
Director of the Road Runner Akron Marathon. "One of our goals from the very 
beginning of the Road Runner Akron Marathon & Team Relays was to give back 
to the community. This will give charitable organizations an opportunity to 
raise funds within our various running events."

Stewart's Caring Place, where those affected by cancer and their 
families find support, resource information and an array of programs and 
services, has signed up as the first charity. Don Luscher, Executive 
Director of Stewart's Caring Place, said he hopes to raise about $10,000 
through the program and is looking to sign up as many as 50 runners to 
participate on race day under the Stewart's Caring Place banner.

Organizers are also launching The Road Runner Akron Marathon Team 
Business Challenge that encourages businesses to field five-person relay 
teams. A component of the program is to get the business teams to run on 
behalf of a charitable organization. The teams could select a charity from 
the list of organizations enrolled in Run for Charity! or donate the money 
they raise to the marathon's own charitable organization.

McKee said businesses and charitable organizations can become 
involved in the fund-raising efforts offered by the Road Runner Akron 
Marathon & Team Relays by calling the Marathon office at (330) 375-2786 or 
by email at . Application forms can be downloaded by 
visiting the Road Runner Akron Marathon website at AkronMarathon.org.


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