Fall Frolicking in Franklin Park

Courtesy of the Franklin Park Coalition Image Gallery

It's all about the pumpkin spice and apple crisp everywhere you go. Fall is certainly in the New England air. Even with some warm Indian Summer Days, it's hard to not get excited for the bright colors, cool evenings, and fun that goes along with fall.

If you're looking for a place to take in all of the wonderful things that fall has to offer, pay a visit to Franklin Park. Enjoy a picnic on Schoolmaster Hill, take a wander through the historic Franklin park Zoo--celebrating its centennial year, play a round of golf, find a fun activity with the Franklin Park Coalition, or better yet--go for a run!

The park features miles of roadways and trails, great for any runner. The park also hosts the BAA Half Marathon on October 7, with a start and finish in Franklin Park and 13.1 miles of autumn glory in the Emerald Necklace. The FPC is also in recruitment mode for the 2013 Boston Marathon and we want YOU to run with us. All of the details are on the blog or at www.franklinparkcoalition.org or you can contact our Marathon Charity Team Leader, Julie Arrison with any questions you might have.

Fill out your application today, start your training with a run through the leaves, and come enjoy our park today!

Run the 2013 Boston Marathon® with Franklin Park Coalition Charity Team

The Franklin Park Coalition is proud to announce that it has been selected to be part of the official 2013 B.A.A. Boston Marathon Charity Program for a second year.  Applications are now available for interested runners at FranklinParkCoalition.org.

The 2012 Boston Marathon ® team raised over $60,000 that was used for a number of Franklin Park Coalition’s summer programs including equipment and salaries for the Youth Conservation Crew and athletic equipment and barbeque nights for the popular Youth Sports Drop-In Nights which served over 1500 kids this past summer. Money raised by the  fifteen selected charity runners of the Franklin Park Coalition Marathon Team will be used for these programs, as well as continued restoration of the cross-country track, used by thousands of regional high school and collegiate athletes on an annual basis; refurbishment of ball fields; repairs to the Playstead basketball courts including resurfacing or new hoops and backboards; and for cultural and family programming provided by the Elma Lewis Playhouse in the Park Program.

The Franklin Park Coalition mission is simple: to restore and preserve Franklin Park, a 527 historic urban green space located in the geographic heart of Boston. Through advocacy and stewardship, Coalition staff, board members and volunteers work to improve park management, public transit options to the park, park entrances s, bicycle access, restoration of historic features, and more. Coalition events and programs, such as park walks, history tours, and nature programs to encourage city dwellers to discover the park's treasures; bringing back the “Elma Lewis Playhouse in the Park” for free summer concerts to build community and celebrate local artists; hiring neighborhood youth for summer and school year jobs restoring the 220 acre woodlands and promoting the park; and working with community members and public safety agencies to help people feel safe in the park.

Running and Franklin Park have a long history together. According to Steve Vaitones, a member of the Coalition, the New England Collegiate Cross Country Championships have been held in the park since 1912. The current cross country course was designed and built 1989-1991 after the awarding of the cross country World Championships.  USA National Championships have been held in the park throughout the twentieth century as well. The park continues to be the home for the many local high school and college program practices and various local and state meets. Most recently, the B.A.A. Half Marathon has its start and finish in Franklin Park at the George White Stadium. This event will take place on October 7, 2012 and information is available at www.baa.org.

Julie Arrison, a longtime volunteer for the Franklin Park Coalition and author of Images of America: Franklin Park will be returning as the Marathon Charity Team Coordinator. “I couldn’t be happier to lead a group of marathoners towards two major goals—completing the Boston Marathon and awareness building for an organization that serves Boston so well.” Michael Toomey of Toomey Sports Running Center in Salem, Mass., will be returning to coach the runners for the team. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to work with a group of athletes as they strive to complete one of the most elite marathons in the world. It’s going to be a fun, challenging time.” The 2012 Boston Marathon ® was one of the hottest on record and the Franklin Park Coalition team had a 100% successful finish rate.

For more information about how you can get involved with Franklin Park Coalition and the 2012 Marathon Team, please contact Julie Arrison, Julie@franklinparkcoalition.org.

Benefits of being a part of the Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon ® Team:

·         Guaranteed race number for the 2012 Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013

·         Work with a team of runners who are committed to the mission of the Franklin Park Coalition and training for the Marathon.

·         Receive a handbook with coaching support from Michael Toomey of Toomey Sports Running Center and fundraising support from the Franklin Park Coalition. Online fundraising access will be provided.

·         Team training runs

·         Franklin Park Coalition Marathon Team clothing including a hooded sweatshirt, long sleeve tech, and singlet for race day

·         A planned team kickoff fundraising party.

·         A race weekend pasta potluck.

·         Race day hotel “drop zone” near the finish so that you can freshen up to hit the town on Marathon Monday, post-race.

·         Frequent support from Franklin Park Coalition coaches and other team members on training and fundraising concerns at our Franklin Park Coalition Marathon Charity Team blog.

Responsibilities of being a member of the Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon Team include:

·         Raise a minimum of $4000 to support Franklin Park Coalition Services ($750 for those who have already secured their entry elsewhere)

·         Be physically able to complete the Marathon in under 6 hours

·         If you are local to Boston, attend Franklin Park Coalition Marathon Charity Team meetings between December 2012 and April 2013. 

·         $300 B.A.A. race entry fee that does not count towards your fundraising total.

Applications:

2013 Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon Team Application

2013 Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon Application for Runners who have Secured Entry Elsewhere

You Know You Want to be a Part of the 2013 FPC Boston Marathon Team

Monday, September 10 is the big day! Applications open up for all of the official Boston Athletic Association charities along with regular registration for the 2013 2013 Boston Marathon. Applications will be available here and on the Franklin Park Coalition website. We encourage you to peruse the website and blog to learn more about the organization and our team. If there are any questions, be in touch with our Marathon Charity Team Leader, Julie Arrison.

Check out some pictures here from the 2012 Boston Marathon. It was a hot day, but the Franklin Park Coalition put on the perfect cheering section for the team.

We look forward to your inquiries and applications!  

An Update for the 2012 FPC Boston Marathon Team from the FPC Staff

April 16, 2012 did not mark the end of the journey for the 2012 Boston Marathon Team. The staff at the Franklin Park Coalition took time out of their incredibly busy and hectic summer of managing park projects, the Summer Youth Conservation Crew, Playhouse in the Park, and Youth Drop-In Sports Nights to keep everyone up to date on how our fundraising efforts were being used. Christine Poff, the amazing executive director, sent us the blog update that you can find a link to in an article below as well as this thank you.

Her words really put into perspective what the 2012 Boston Marathon Team was able to provide for teens around the park as well as everyday park users.

"..Attached is a photo of the crew playing a game on one of the park's old stone walls. They had to arrange themselves by birthdate without talking, it was pretty funny. Today at lunch they had a huge game of camoflauge ... some love this kind of thing, but the big tough guys act like they are too cool for anything that isn't HARD work, but they join in and get goofy.

Because of all your efforts we did a 2-night camping trip this year, the first time we've done that. Through a great partnership with the Appalachian Mountain Club the crew borrows tents and gear. They hiked, splashed in waterfalls, did a night walk, told stories by the campfire, and all came home thrilled with themselves - for most it was the first time in a tent and for about five of them it was the first time away from home. (I talked to parents a lot ... a few were really anxious)

Last week at Sports Night we had members of two rival gangs, but they played ball and ate burgers together with no problems - it's exactly what we hope will happen. We have a really cool coach who is coming out, used to play with the Houston Rockets."

Notes like this are just one of many reasons why someone should consider joining the Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon Team. You truly make a difference.

What the 2012 Boston Marathon Team Provided

As we gear up to start accepting applications for the 2013 Franklin Park Coaltion Boston Marathon team, it's a great time to look back on the experiences that the 2012 Boston Marathon team was able to provide by raising money for the Summer Youth Conservation Crew. For many of the teens who participated, this wasn't just a "summer job," but a work experience that introduced the group to new friends, new challenges, and educational take-aways that will last a lifetime.

If you are considering running for the 2013 team, take a look at some of the statements (unedited!) from the Summer Youth Crew. We hope that you will realize that when you run with us, you are impacting the lives of a deserving group of teens as well as the beautification of Boston's largest urban greenspace.

Applications will be available here and on the website on Monday, September 10.

From Jamie: "Working with the Franklin Park Coalition was very helpful and productive. This job helped me learn about different types of plants and things about Franklin Park that I didn’t know about. I had fun working with my crew and getting projects done. Being noticed for what we did by the people in the community who use the park made this job worth working for."

From Jevon: "I have learned that I am a dedicated, hard worker. I work well with others and I put a lot of care into what I do. From the first day I started working at Franklin Park I have learned why it’s so important to the community. I’ve also learned a lot about its history, for example, the Overlook ruins have been there since 1885. The best thing about this job was learning how hard I can push myself and getting to meet new people."

From Tenia: "This summer was quite an interesting one. I got my first job at Franklin Park. I learned a lot about myself and the park . While I passed by this park almost every day before I had this job, my views of it were that it was disgusting and nasty. But now that I have worked in this park for six weeks, I know the park is not really like that. It is peaceful and nice with a lot of beautiful plants. This is something I learned about the park from my job experience."

How the 2012 FPC Boston Marathon Team Got Youth Moving

This blog article came out a bit earlier in the summer, but as of July 30, 2012, 1175 kids were "moving" in Franklin Park as part of the Youth Drop In Sports Night Programs. Equipment and barbecues featuring turkey burgers and dogs for the sports nights in 2012 were funded by the hard work of the 2012 FPC Boston Marathon Team--continuing to prove that $60,000+ in fundraising has wide reaching impact.

Look for adult and family programs in the park this fall to get people moving. Next summer, the Playhouse in the Park series will be one of the program beneficiaries of the 2013 FPC Boston Marathon Team Fundraising. One of the goals of the family programs is to bring in performers to get the audience moving.

Please check out the blog for pictures and details: http://www.bostonbeyond.org/blog/boston-youth-are-moving-health .