Student-Organized Race to Benefit South Worcester Neighborhood Improvement Corporation

WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross students have organized a 5-kilometer race scheduled for April 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with proceeds going to the South Worcester Neighborhood Improvement Corporation. The race will begin and end at Holy Cross’ Freshman Field (off McKeon Road).

The race, led by Michael Ballute ’06 and Matthew Mackarevich ’06, will run along McKeon Road, Millbury Street, Blackstone Road, Ballard Street, and Providence Road.

SWNIC plans to donate the money to the Guiding Good Choices program, organized and operated for five years by SWNIC executive director Ron Charette. The program seeks to improve family relationships by cultivating a home environment that motivates children to read, dream big, and stay physically active while avoiding the pressures of drugs and gangs. Guiding Good Choices operates after-school and summer programs.

Accurate Collision, Cadbury-Adams, Cadbury Schweppes, the Granite Group, Polar Beverages, Stop and Shop, UnumProvident and the Office of the President at Holy Cross have together pledged $10,000.

"The Jordan Levy Show," Telegram & Gazette, and WWFX 100FM The Pike have donated thousands of dollars in pro-bono advertising.

Mackarevich developed the idea for the Worcester race after studying abroad at Oxford University in England, where a 10K run attracts several thousand runners and raises thousands of dollars for the community.

"The goal of the event is to strengthen relations between the communities of Worcester colleges and the surrounding populations," he said. "We are bringing together students and citizens of Worcester, with the help of Worcester businesses, to help a non-profit that seeks to improve the South Worcester area. We believe that by raising over $10,000 for Guiding Good Choices, through an exciting community event, we have accomplished this goal."

For more information, please contact Mackarevich at 717-574-8990 (cell) or mtmack06@holycross.edu.