STEVENSVILLE, Md. – Chesapeake Bay Bridge Run, LLC today named the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) as an official charity partner of the “Across the Bay 10k – Chesapeake Bay Bridge Run.”
CBF, a regional non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay, is the fourth charity named by race organizers to receive a beneficiary package worth $50,000 from the event. In turn, beneficiaries support the race by providing volunteers, partnerships with corporate sponsors and meaningful causes that get runners excited.
“When Peter (Paris) and I first began working on this event, it was because of the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay,” said race organizer Sparrow Rogers. “We knew that the opportunity to run over the Bay would resonate with people from all over, whether they were seasoned athletes or just a person who truly enjoys taking in nature. By partnering with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, we are hoping to reach runners on a deeper level and to engage all of our participants in helping to keep the Chesapeake Bay healthy and beautiful for generations to come.”
“We are delighted to be a partner in this event that will showcase the Chesapeake Bay,” said CBF President Will Baker. “We are grateful to race organizers for their support of our mission, and delighted our two interests can intersect. CBF can further its efforts to educate the public, and runners can enjoy a spectacular view of this national treasure. We’re also eager to man the water stations or provide whatever race support is needed.”
CBF and the Queen Anne’s County Board of Commissioners also announced today a partnership stemming from the race. The two will match funds to start several environmental projects in the county, including a scholarship program that furthers the health of the Chesapeake Bay, and environmental restoration projects in Queen Anne’s. CBF also will work with the county to help it meet its responsibilities to reduce pollution.
The William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bay Bridge is anchored in Anne Arundel County to the west and Queen Anne’s County in the east. CBF headquarters is in Annapolis, and the organization has a long history of working with Anne Arundel. Baker said the race presented a special opportunity to expand its work with Queen Anne’s County particularly.
“We’re already partnering with Queen Anne’s in a pilot program to explore ways to reduce the cost of pollution reduction to taxpayers by using the power of the marketplace. It makes sense to broaden that partnership to promote environmental education, restoration and further technical assistance,” Baker said.
“We invite anybody who is interested in being involved in this event to visit our website to sign up as a runner, volunteer or sponsor of the event,” said Peter Paris, organizer for Across the Bay 10k.
Across the Bay 10k is set for Nov. 9, 2014, and will take up to 20,000 runners across the iconic, 4.3-mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which reaches 186 feet at its tallest point. The inaugural event will mark the first organized crossing of that bridge since 2006.
Dave McGillivray, one of the top race directors in the U.S, will oversee the highly anticipated event with his team at DMSE Sports.
Registration for the race is open in blocks. The first block of 5,000 slots sold out in fewer than four days. The second block opens at noon Jan. 15, 2014 – the waitlist for the 5,000 slots in that block is almost full. Visit the website at www.bridgerace.com to join the wait list.
Chesapeake Bay Bridge Run LLC is a Maryland-based partnership founded by Peter Paris and Sparrow Rogers, both of St. Michaels. The Across the Bay 10k will be hosted by Live Work Play in QA, the State of Maryland and the Annapolis Visitors Bureau. More information is available online at www.bridgerace.com. Across the Bay 10k is on Facebook (facebook.com/10kAcrossTheBay) and on Twitter (@10kAcrosstheBay).