Although some 20,000 people run in the marathon (26 miles, 385 yards), entering the event is difficult because of the large number of individuals eager to secure a place. In addition to the $150 entrance fee, the applicant also must have run a qualifying time at a previously certified marathon.
Community Covenant Church, which is located in Hopkinton (where the race begins), has secured two racing numbers that will be offered to the general public as part of a creative fund-raising initiative. That means the people who get them not only will avoid the $150 entry fee, but they also will not have to meet the marathon’s time qualifications requirement.
The church will award the numbers to people who commit to raise money for the congregation through sponsorship. The money is used to send students from the church to Camp Squanto.
One woman from California last year raised $1,500 after being awarded a spot, says Bruce Johnson. She was the only person to submit a proposal to receive a number, and the church hopes more people will take advantage of the opportunity.
Although the church is not an “official charity,” pastor Bruce Johnson says such charities seem to average $2,500 per person in raised funds. “We’re not saying that someone has to raise $2,500, just that it is the average.”
Proposals should be received at the church by February 16, and a committee will make its decision two days later, Johnson says.
For more information, or to propose a sponsorship, contact Johnson by email at ComCovHop@verizon.net, by telephone at 508-435-3723. Proposals may be mailed to Community Covenant Church, 2 West Elm Street, Hopkinton, MA, 01748.
