The annual JR Forever Memorial Walk/Run takes place on Sunday, starting early in the afternoon at Pear Tree Point Beach. Expect “short-term delays” for traffic in the area from noon to 3:30 p.m., police say.
THE WALK/RUN ON SUNDAY
Here’s the announcement about the event from the JR Forever Memorial Foundation website:-In 2008, friends and family established the JR Forever Memorial Walk in memory of JR Schoen, a 9-year-old Darien boy who lost his life to a brain tumor. Last year, a casual 5K run was added to attract runners who are passionate about a good cause. This family and community event will raise funds for Darien organizations that impact the lives of children.
- Date: Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015
- Time: 1:15 p.m. sign-in, 2 p.m. walk/run
- Location: Pear Tree Point Beach -Rain or Shine
- Strollers/wagons are welcome
Image from the JR Schoen Memorial Foundation website
Registration is $25 per person or $100 per family. A discount is available for large groups of runners. Additional donations are welcome. Day of event registration is available, however, only first 250 registrants receive a commemorative t-shirt. Food and drinks will also be available. The Noroton Heights Fire Department will have a full-sized fire truck on-site. After the event, a casual awards ceremony will reveal winners in each category.
TRAFFIC AFFECTED
An announcement from Darien police:
The 8th annual JR Schoen Memorial Walk will be held on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015 from 12 noon to 3:30 p.m.
The walk, which begins at Pear Tree Point Beach, will make a left turn out of the beach parking lot and proceed north on Pear Tree Point Road, south on Long Neck Point Road, and return to the beach traveling west on Pear Tree Point Road.
Vehicle traffic will only be allowed to travel north on Long Neck Point Road and south on Pear Tree Point Road during this event.
Motorists are advised to expect short-term delays along the route. Officers will be positioned along the route to facilitate the flow of traffic and the safety of the participants.
WHAT THE MONEY RAISED WILL FUND
On its website, the foundation has described where the money will go:
The recipients of this year’s proceeds from the Annual JR Forever Walk/Run will be donated to:
- Children’s Brain Tumor Research 2015 marks the first year that the JR Forever Memorial Walk/5K Run will begin funding research for Pediatric Brain Tumor Research. There is a very promising program for pediatric glioblastoma multiforme research happening at Duke University Medical Center and this year’s funds will be channeled to this program.
- JR’s Ray of Hope is a committee under the JR Schoen Memorial Foundation, Inc., that supports local families with school-aged children facing serious illness, injury or the loss of a family member. JR’s Ray of Hope provides confidential supplemental financial assistance to help these families in their time of need. To date, approximately $15,000 has been donated to local families and additional donations were made to Hurricane Sandy victims, the Darien Public School System and various other charities.
- Past recipients include Post 53, the Weed Beach Redevelopment Project (the Playground by the Sound), the Den for Grieving Kids (part of the Center for Hope), Darien Little League, Darien Youth Lacrosse (to create the JR Schoen Scholarship), The Challenger Program of Darien Little League, Darien Library, the Obie Harrington-Howes Foundation in Memory of Shannon Dunleavy, the Noroton Heights Fire Department, the Darien Junior Sailing Team and others.