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Madison Area YMCA
Marketing & Communications Department
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For Immediate Release

The Madison Area YMCA’s The Mind Matters 5K Raises More than $37,000

CAPTION: Mom and daughters run in the Madison Area YMCA The Mind Matters 5K!(L-R)Caity Wojacek, Yolanda Castro (1st place Female 60-69) and Kirsten Wojacek, all of Morristown.

(Madison, NJ) October 25, 2019—The Madison Area YMCA’s "The Mind Matters 5K: Mentally Healthy One Stride at a Time” and 1-mile family fun run/walk on the campus of Giralda Farms in Madison on Sun., Oct. 20 raised more than $37,000. 

Hundreds of runners and walkers laced up their running shoes and donned Halloween costumes for a great cause. Florham Park Mayor Mark Taylor blew the horn to start the race. Pfizer served as the presenting sponsor of the USATF sanctioned and certified race for the 23^rd year.

Guest speaker Beth Cocco of Florham Park spoke about how important the work of Project Community Pride of the Madison Area YMCA is in our community, highlighting the vital services her children received. All proceeds raised benefitted the Madison Area YMCA's programs that heal the whole person: emotionally, mentally and physically.

“We were so pleased with the turnout for this year’s 5K and 1-mile fun run,” said Madison Area YMCA Sr. Director of Organization Advancement Amie Herman. “It’s wonderful to see people come out to run, walk, have fun in costume and support our Y’s health and wellness programs that are needed by so many individuals in our community.”  

Top Overall Male: Paul Russo of Madison (19:35); Top Overall Female: Emma Cary of Morristown (20:26).

Male 14 and under 1^st place: Timothe Gerard-Saroul, Madison; Female 14 and under 1^st place: Bridget Ewing of Florham Park.

Male 15-19 1^st place: Artha Abeysinghe of Madison; Female 15-19 1^st place: Molly Cantillon of Livingston.

Male 20-29 1^st place: Steven Estremera of Millbrook, NY; Female 20-29 1^st place: Rae Conklin of Springfield. 

Male 30-39 1^st place: Matthew Corbetta of Madison; Female 30-39 1^st place: Ellen Veltri of Chatham. 

Male 40-49 1^st place: Peter Deane of Basking Ridge; Female 40-49 1^st place: Michelle Kean of Chatham. 

Male 50-59 1^st place: Tom Tarnowski of South Orange; Female 50-59 1^st place: Gina Bradley of Madison. 

Male ages 60-69 3^rd place: Scot Guempel (Madison Area YMCA Chairman of the Board) of Madison; 2^nd place: William Yardley of Madison; 1^st place: Mark Washburne of Mendham.

Female ages 60-69 3^rd place: Kathleen Portine of Randolph; 2^nd place: Patti Foot of Chatham; 1^st place: Yolanda Castro of Morristown.

The top Halloween costume overall was “Forrest Gump” worn by Jody Lieberman of Madison; the top family costume “Prince” was worn by was Hezekiah Harris, Alyssa Nittolo-Harris and daughter Alyson Harris, 1, of Morristown. The top parent/child costumes were “Ketchup and little hot dog” worn by Dan Maine and his son Keisuke Maine, 3, of Chatham; and “Popeye and Olive Oil” worn by Nicholas Figueroa-Ortiz, 8, and his mom Lilian Ortiz-Ullola of Madison.

The Madison Area YMCA's The Mind Matters 5K is an influential fundraising event for the Madison Area YMCA’s Annual Fund. The Annual Fund enables hundreds of children and families to participate in Y membership, innovative programming, wellness initiatives and services including child care, early childhood education and summer camps at the Madison Area YMCA’s Family Center and the F.M. Kirby Children’s Center of the Madison Area YMCA.

As a cause-driven charitable organization, the Madison Area YMCA is dedicated to nurturing the potential of every child and teen, and improving the community’s health and well-being and giving back by providing support to our neighbors.

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