BOSTON – Sometimes we forget the contributions of our armed forces, the brave men and women who fight to protect the freedoms many of us take for granted every day. Oftentimes, those brave Americans who do make it home during wartime are burdened by terrible illnesses and injuries.
Luckily, there are many civilians here at home who are looking to come to the aid of these injured heroes. This year, the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball have teamed up with Massachusetts General Hospital for the “2013 Red Sox Foundation and Mass. General Hospital Run/Walk to Home Base”, an event whose sole purpose is to assist veterans who have made it back to US soil but are suffering from brain injuries and other conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
Presented by footwear giant New Balance, the event is scheduled to take place Saturday, May 4 at 8:00 a.m in Boston. Participants may run a 9K road race (just over 5 and a half miles) or participate in a 2.5 mile walk, both of which will culminate at home plate of America’s favorite ballpark, Fenway Park.
Over 4,000 participants are expected to enter the event, and with Fenway set to accommodate some 20,000 spectators that day, the walk has the potential to be the highlight of the late spring months at Fenway, as the Red Sox are projected for a woeful ’13-’14 campaign.
While the event looks to create a major donation frenzy in greater Boston, folks in western Mass. are getting in on the action, as well. Westfield resident Dawn Jackson and her husband Bruce are just two of several local donors who are looking to assist the Sox and Mass General in making a difference in the lives of our soldiers.
Jackson became involved through a friend, Bob Browning, whose daughter Jenna encouraged him to participate. Both Brownings must raise $750 to be able to take part in the race. Jackson and other community members are looking to help raise that entry fee, however they can.
“We heard about the event through Bob,” Bruce Jackson said, “(Dawn) used to put together packages for the troops and send them over to Afghanistan at the start of the war, back when she was working at Amelia Park.”
“Any opportunity we get to support the troops, we take it,” he added.
“This is a wonderful program for our very deserving troops who are seeking assistance with the difficulty of returning home after a traumatic experience,” Dawn Jackson said, “Receiving these services is necessary in helping them in their healing process.”
Bob Browning is very excited about the opportunity to participate in the event, and views it as a chance to raise money for a great cause and spend time with his daughter.
“My daughter lives in Boston and is really into running, so she told me about the event, which I then informed Bruce and Dawn of,” he said, referencing the chain of events that led to the involvement of all the parties, “I’ve been running in preparation and am very excited about the event.”
Despite the eastern Mass. location, it is safe to say the entire commonwealth of Massachusetts is excited for this event, which benefits many of our most deserving heroes, men and women who have kept and continue to keep this country free.
While the date of the event is Saturday, May 4, the deadline for submitting donations for the event is Monday, April 29.
The Jacksons will be collecting donations until Sunday, April 21, and can be reached via email at [email protected].
