Miles + Memories:
The Children’s Room 2011 Boston Marathon Team

Many thanks to our 2011 Miles + Memories Team runners and to everyone that helped support them! The Children’s Room is excited to once again have a fabulous group of runners as part of our 2012 Miles & Memories Team! Click here to read their stories and share your support!

We are ever-thankful for the support of our Marathon team sponsors.

Our 2011 Miles + Memories Team:

Martin Conneely, an Arlington resident, and owner of Conneely Contracting, is an experienced marathon runner. In fact, this will be his ninth marathon! Martin’s commitment and dedication to causes he cares about is truly inspiring. In 1998, at age 25, Martin was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer that attacked his sinuses. After a two year battle with the disease, Martin felt blessed by the support he had received from family and friends. He and his wife, Kerri, now have four daughters ages 6-12.

After his recovery, simply trying to pick up where he left off was not enough for Martin, and with compassion, energy, and a generous spirit, he has supported The Children’s Room families for many years. You can read more about Martin and his generous support of TCR  in The Arlington Advocate article, The quiet hero.

Click here to read Martin’s personal letter to family and friends. When making a donation, please add a note in the ‘Comments” section so that your gift will help Martin meet his fundraising goal.

Maritza Ebling grew up in Newton and attended Newton Country Day School. She is now a junior at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. Maritza’s aunt and uncle came to The Children’s Room with their daughter, Isabelle, after their youngest daughter, Sophia, died a week after her first birthday of Sudden Unexplained Death in Children (SUDC). Maritza, who had been close to her two cousins since they were born, also felt the loss significantly, feeling that Sophia’s death was incomprehensible. She says, “the use of the word ‘unexplained’ makes dealing with the death of a daughter, sister, and cousin even more challenging.”

To learn more about Sudden Unexplained Death in Children, visit the website www.sudc.org.

Click here to read Maritza’s personal letter to family and friends. When making a donation, please add a note in the ‘Comments’ section, so that your gift will help Maritza meet her fundraising goal. Read the article: Marathon in Memory: Ebling ’12 Runs for a Cause in the Wesleyan newsletter

Tina Milani grew up in Simsbury, Connecticut. She came to Boston in 2005 for her undergrad in Communications at Emmanuel College. Since graduating she has been pursuing a career in fashion. She currently works in the historic North End as an Assistant Manager at Twilight boutique. Tina’s connection with TCR began this fall, training to be a group facilitator. Tina lost her mother, Cynthia, to cancer when she was nine years old. As a facilitator, she feels she has come full circle, working with kids who have lost a loved one at the same age. This will be Tina’s first marathon.

Click here to read Tina’s personal appeal to family and friends. When making a donation, please add a note in the ‘Comments’ section, so that your gift will help Tina meet her fundraising goal. Tina’s bib number is: 25839.

Donna Smith Sharff is an Arlington resident and Executive Director of The Children’s Room. Donna has been on the staff of The Children’s Room for eight years and has served in a variety of roles during that time. A runner her whole life, Donna began marathoning to celebrate her 40th birthday; this will be Donna’s sixth marathon. Donna is thrilled to be combining her passions for running and the work of The Children’s Room as a member of our 2011 Miles + Memories Team!

Click here to read Donna’s personal letter to family and friends. When making a donation, please add a note in the ‘Comments’ section, so that your gift will help Donna meet her fundraising goal. Donna’s bib number is: 25838.

Our 2010 Marathon Runner
We would like to recognize, thank, and congratulate Dr. Victoria Arthur who ran the 2010 Boston Marathon for TCR in memory of her brother, Peter.  After months of rigorous training and persistent fundraising, Victoria successfully completed the marathon — AND more than doubled her fundraising goal!

When Victoria signed up for the Boston Marathon, she created a challenge for herself — to raise enough to fund five children in the program ($7,500).  In the end, Victoria’s Run crossed the $15,000 mark, and covered the costs for 10 children in the support program at The Children’s Room.

Victoria was honored and celebrated as one the top ten fundraisers out of all the John Hancock Nonn-Profit Marathon Program runners last year!