Event Description
JOIN US FOR THIS GREAT, INSPIRING COMMUNITY EVENT!
ALL ABILITIES ARE WELCOME AND ENCOURAGED TO TAKE PART
ABOUT JAMES:
On Saturday, March 23, 2019, we invite you to join us in Milford, CT for the 6th Annual James Mattioli 5K to honor the life of a young boy taken from us far too soon, at Sandy Hook School on December 14, 2012. James was a loving, outgoing, and curious young boy with a deep love for his family, for being outdoors, and for all things related to numbers, sports, and fun. James had a smile that could light up any room, and to know James was to know love in its purest form.
Our annual event was founded to remember James and the spirit and heart he shared with his family, friends, classmates, and community. Our annual race provides us with the opportunity to create a legacy for James with a scholarship fund that his parents, Cindy and Mark, have established to honor the community of Milford for their lasting memories there before their move to Sandy Hook and for the city’s ongoing support following James’s death. It is the Mattioli family’s intent to have a long partnership with the city and its students pursuing higher education. Our hope is to keep the legacy of James close to our hearts in Milford, and our goal is to give back to the community which James and his family deeply loved.
EVENT PROCEEDS:
Our race funds four annual scholarships to graduating seniors at Milford’s two public high schools, Jonathan Law High School and Joseph Foran High School. The scholarships honor two students at each high school and are a tribute to James’s interests and loves. Two of the scholarships (one at each high school) are awarded to students pursuing a degree in mathematics, engineering, or architecture, and two of the scholarships are for students who have been a lifeguard and/or are pursuing a degree in fire science, public safety, or criminal justice. In addition to funding our annual scholarships, the proceeds from our 2019 event will also be deployed to support programs at the Milford Public Library, the Boys and Girls Club of Milford, youth sports programs offered through Milford Recreation, the Beth El shelter, the CT Burns Care Foundation, Sacred Heart University Book Ends Literacy Clinic, Horizons at Sacred Heart University, and additional programs focused on education, health, and human services.
RACE DETAILS:
Our certified 5K course starts at Milford Fire Headquarters (72 New Haven Avenue) near Fowler Field, passes the James Mattioli Playground on Gulf Street, and runs along Milford's beautiful Gulf Beach for a stretch before ending back at Fowler Field. The course is a flat and fast one and suitable for all levels of runners.
Course map link: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=7331218
All participants who complete the computer chip timed 5K (3.1mi) course are eligible for awards and prizes. The overall men's and women's champions will receive awards as well as the top 3 males and females in the following age groups:
- 9 & under
- 10-13
- 14-18
- 19-29
- 30-39
- 40-49
- 50-59
- 60-69
- 70+ (and older if pre-registered)
Please note that the Kids Run is a non-competitive fun run with no individual awards and will take place separate of and prior to our 5K event. All Kids Run participants will receive a race shirt and a medal.
Included with your registration fee you will receive a commemorative short sleeve cotton blend race shirt. NOTE: You can purchase a drifit long sleeve tech shirt in our ‘store’ on this site for just $15! This is the first time long sleeve shirts have been available.
PLEASE NOTE- we can only guarantee your shirt size until March 8th when we must order our shirts. After that date, shirts and sizing will be on a first come, first serve basis. After March 8th, you may not be able to get the size that you want or may run the risk of not receiving a shirt. PLEASE make every effort to REGISTER by March 8th to guarantee your shirt and desired size. Please encourage your friends and family to join us for what promises to be a meaningful way to remember James and bring together old and new friends from the communities of Newtown and Milford and their surrounding towns.
All paid participants will be treated to great post race buffet
Race fees are as follows:
- James Mattioli 5K (ages 19+) - $26
- James Mattioli 5K (18 and under) - $22
- James Mattioli 5K VIRTUAL Run (all ages) - $26
- James Mattioli Kids Scamper Run - $12
DONATIONS AND SPONORSHIPS:
If you can't be with us for this year's event, please know that we welcome donations at ANY level for our cause. All donations will go directly to the James R. Mattioli Memorial Scholarship Fund and will not be used toward race expenses.
Sponsor opportunities are also available at a variety of levels as well-- please contact our Partner & Sponsor Coordinator by emailing Kristen at jamesmattioli5k@gmail.com for more information on sponsorship packages.
THANK YOUS:
Our event simply would not be possible without the help of many individuals, companies, and organizations in the community of Milford and its surrounding towns. We owe a debt of gratitude to the Milford Fire Department, Milford Recreation, the Milford Police Department, and Milford Mayor Ben Blake for their tremendous support and partnership with the James Mattioli 5K year after year. We truly value their time and commitment to our event and the community.
RACE CONSULTANT:
Marty Schaivone has 30 years of experience in the industry and will help coordinate this event. MS Running Productions directs and consults on more than 50 Run & Walk events in CT, including (in Milford) the Milford Hospital Live Well Mothers Day Run, Milford Bank Run for Veterans, Running Water for Africa, and the Trick or Trot. Other runs Marty coordinates in nearby towns include the Cinco de Mayo 5K in Orange, the MADD Dash & Turkey Trot in Stratford, the Great Pumpkin in Trumbull, and the Colony Grill Hot Oil and the Bigelow Tea Community Challenge, both of which take place in in Fairfield.
