Volunteers
Needed for Upcoming TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race
Positions
available in expanded parking program as well as KidÛªs Fun Run and race
recycling program on race day
CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine (May
26, 2011) ÛÒ The expanded
parking program for the upcoming TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race is one
of a variety of areas in need of additional volunteers, race organizers said
Thursday.
Parking requires as many as 30
volunteers to assist with parking by runners and spectators near the start, at
the finish at Fort Williams and in satellite parking locations in the area,
said long-time volunteer Tom Deiley, coordinator of parking for the 2011 race,
set for Aug. 6 in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
Positions also are open in the KidÛªs
Fun Run on Friday night, Aug. 5, and the raceÛªs recycling program
partnered with Athletes for a Fit Planet plus a number of other areas.
Volunteers can sign up online at http://www.beach2beacon.org/VOLUNTEER.
The TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K needs about
800 volunteers in total each year to ensure a smooth operation and help create the
safe, festive atmosphere that makes the event so special for recreational
runners and elite athletes alike.
For Deiley and others, volunteering at the
race can be as satisfying as running the 6.2-mile course.
ÛÏBeing involved as a volunteer with the
race for almost 10 years has been so rewarding for me personally, and
IÛªve really enjoyed helping out on race day in the Information
Tent,Û said Deiley, a resident of South Portland who was named the
raceÛªs Volunteer of the Year in 2008. ÛÏMoving to the parking
program this year, IÛªm working with others to find ways to improve the
process and make it greener. I really feel like weÛªre making a
difference.Û
Race organizers are hoping to reduce vehicle
congestion near Fort Williams and in Cape Elizabeth by encouraging spectators
to walk or bike on race day and runners to carpool to the start or utilize the
shuttle service from satellite parking lots at South Portland High School and
the Hannaford Bros. Co. corporate headquarters lot in Scarborough. A third satellite
lot may be added, Deiley said. Runners who must drive to the start will park at
Sprague Field.
Race organizers are urging volunteers to
register early for the best job selection, and returning volunteers who wish to
work in the same area as in previous years are advised to register by June 17.
In addition to parking and water stations,
volunteers help organize and staff many aspects of the event, including
registration for two days prior to the race, course set up and break down,
baggage assistance, recycling and medical tent. For helping out, volunteers
receive a commemorative T-shirt and are invited to a party in a scenic Cape
Elizabeth locale, organized exclusively for them.
Last yearÛªs Volunteer of the Year award
went to Deanne Burr of Cape Elizabeth. ÛÏItÛªs volunteers like
Tom and Deanne who make this race great,Û said Maya Cohen of Cape
Elizabeth, the Volunteer Coordinator for the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K.
Minors (under age 18) cannot register online and need to download an
application from the website. Please call (207) 272-3545 or email bestn92@gmail.com with
questions.
The TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race is
MaineÛªs premiere sports event. The race field of 6,000 includes some of
the best elite runners from the U.S. and internationally who are joined at the
start line by recreational runners from Maine and across New England. The 2010
race included runners from 17 countries and 41 U.S. states.
This year marks the 14th year for the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K, which is
considered one of the gems on the U.S. road race circuit. The race begins near
the Crescent Beach State Park entrance on Route 77 and ends 6.2 miles later in
Fort Williams Park at the Portland Head Light, the most photographed lighthouse
in America.
TD Bank is the title sponsor of the race founded by Olympic gold medalist Joan
Benoit Samuelson, a running icon and MaineÛªs most admired athlete. The
race is directed by Dave McGillivray of DMSE Sports (www.dmsesports.com), who also directs
the BAA Boston Marathon and is regarded as one of the best in the business.
In addition to TD Bank, other major corporate
partners this year include Hannaford, Poland Spring, MaineHealth, Fairchild
Semiconductor, Nike, Northeast Delta Dental, Wright Express and WCSH6. For
additional info about the race, visit www.beach2beacon.org or
call the race hotline at (888) 480-6940.
The beneficiary of this yearÛªs race is Day
One, a non-profit agency providing substance abuse prevention, intervention,
treatment, and aftercare programs for Maine youth. Day One (www.day-one.org) targets substance abuse
at all stages with a wide-range of programs designed to meet the needs in
communities across Maine. Headquartered in South Portland, Maine, Day One
served more than 1,600 youth in 2010.
TD Bank, through the TD Charitable
Foundation, will provide a cash donation of $30,000 to Day One. The organization
also will benefit from fundraising activities and publicity through its
association with the race.
About TD Bank,
America’s Most Convenient Bank
TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the
United States, providing customers with a full range of financial products and
services at more than 1,250 convenient locations from Maine to Florida. On
September 30, 2010, The South Financial Group, Inc. was acquired by TD Bank
Group, and its subsidiary Carolina First Bank merged with TD Bank. Carolina
First Bank will continue to operate under the trade names Carolina First Bank
in North and South Carolina and Mercantile Bank in Florida until conversion and
rebranding in June 2011. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., and
Portland, Maine. Carolina First Bank and Mercantile Bank are trade names of TD
Bank, N.A. For more information, visit www.TDBank.com.
TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a
subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial
services company in North America and one of the few banks in the world rated
Aaa by Moody’s. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto
stock exchanges under the ticker symbol “TD.” To learn more, visit www.td.com.
About
the TD Charitable Foundation
The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank N.A.,
which operates as TD Bank, AmericaÛªs Most Convenient Bank®,
and is one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United
States. The Foundation’s mission is to serve the individuals, families and
businesses in all the communities where TD Bank operates, having made $70.4
million in charitable donations since its inception in 2002. The
FoundationÛªs areas of focus are affordable housing, education and
financial literacy, and the environment. More information on the TD Charitable
Foundation, including an online grant application, is available at www.TDBank.com.