Wayland Residents Gear Up for Jimmy Fund Walk

The following was submitted by Allison Epstein of the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk.

Seven Wayland residents will walk up to 26.2 miles Sept. 9 along the historic route of the Boston Marathon in the 24th annual Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai.

They will be among the 9,000 walkers expected to participate with the collective goal of raising more than $7.5 million to support lifesaving adult and pediatric patient care and cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Wayland residents participating include: Sherrie Barlas, Kate Gagney, Ronna Kazarian, Sandra Ruland, Gretchen Sterling, Amanda Sykes and Wendy Tyra.

The Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk is the largest single-day participatory event benefiting the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber and has raised nearly $80 million since its inception in 1989 to conquer all forms of cancer. The Boston Athletic Association has supported the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk for the past 24 years.

“Every year, the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk unites thousands of people — from parents, neighbors, coworkers, cancer patients, cancer survivors, and the young and the old — who share a goal to bring an end to cancer,” says Ann Beach, director of the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk. “Their dedication and commitment to fundraising for the event enables Dana-Farber to aggressively pursue its life-saving mission.”

Participants may choose to walk one of four routes: the entire 26.2-mile Hopkinton to Boston route, the 13.1-mile Babson to Boston route, the 5-mile Boston College route, or the 3-mile route starting at Dana-Farber’s campus. Those unable to participate on Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk day can become “Virtual Walkers” and still fundraise for the event.

Walkers begin in Hopkinton between 5:30-7:30 a.m.; at Babson College between 8:30-9:30 a.m.; at Boston College between 10 a.m. and noon; and from Dana-Farber at 1:30 p.m. The Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk finishes at Copley Square in Boston, where walkers can celebrate completing the course and enjoy complimentary food, beverages, a speaking program, and entertainment.

All walkers must raise a minimum of $300, and walkers 12 years old and younger have a fundraising minimum of $100. Pacesetters are extraordinary fundraisers who raise $1,250 or more. Young Pacesetters are children 12 years old and younger who raise $500 or more.

To register for the 24th annual Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk, to support a walker, or to volunteer, visit www.JimmyFundWalk.org or call (866) 531-9255. Registrants can enter the discount code BOSTON for $5 off the registration fee.