The Tufts marathon runners might be tapering their training routines in preparation for Monday, but they will continue to step up their fundraising efforts over the next few days.
The money raised will be donated to the Friedman School of Nutrition, which is researching childhood obesity this year, and Tufts' Personalized Performance Program, responsible for providing personal trainers and generally improving the fitness center.
So far, the team has raised $300,000, having exceeded the amount raised at this time last year. Although students are required to raise a minimum of $1,000, and faculty and alumni must raise $2,500, there is certainly no shortage of enthusiasm from the team when it comes to the charity aspect. In fact, according to President's Marathon Challenge (PMC) Director Don Megerle, the group is expected to bring in $450,000 once it's all said and done.
"If they all raised the minimum, it would only be about $280,000," Megerle said. "So a lot of them go in excess of the minimum, and now this year, I've noticed the students are doing a far better job than they did this time last year in raising the money, exceeding $1,000. Some probably have close to $2,000, which is pretty good."
With the team's size having increased dramatically over the last several years, meeting the fundraising requirement has become that much more competitive; but the interest of the University and the surrounding Medford-Somerville community has grown along with the team.
"The fundraising game is more competitive now than it has been," said Alyssa Adreani, a development officer at Fletcher who is running with the team for the first time. "But it has been easier than I thought it would be. Everyone has been so supportive. I have received surprise donations from people I didn't even ask."
The brain-child of President Lawrence Bacow, the PMC has grown from a small charitable idea into a mammoth undertaking.
"We were looking for a way to raise money to support the Tufts Personalized Performance Program," Bacow wrote and an e-mail to the Daily. "I had done one marathon previously - Baystate - and wanted to run Boston. I asked David D'Allesandro, CEO of John Hancock, the principal sponsor of the marathon, if we could obtain some numbers to use for fundraising purposes. Hence, the PMC was born."
Those who would like to donate money to the President's Marathon Challenge can do so by going to tuftsmarathonchallenge.com.
-by Rachel Dolin
