A look at Dr. Mark Cucuzella, one of our participants in the 2008 festival and his work organizing an amazing new race!
Many of you who attended the 2008 ACFF Film Festival had the privilege of being introduced to Dr. Mark Cucuzella, a local Physician and avid runner. He has run over 50 marathons and was named the US Air Force Athlete of the Year in 1997. He came to the attention of ACFF through his involvement leading the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation “Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities” Project and we were excited to hear about what he had been doing locally. As part of our panel on Children in Nature, he brought insight into some of the more pressing issues and has been bringing into reality his ideas for getting children and their families active and outside. He has spearheaded the formation of Tiger on the Trail, a hiking program for the Harpers Ferry Middle School which has taken over 1700 students along 6000 miles of the Appalachian Trail in two school years (wow!) and he is also the director for the exciting and ambitions Freedom’s Run.
On October 3rd, the Freedom’s Run Races will run through four National Parks including several civil war sites in the local area. This includes Antietam Battlefield, Harper’s Ferry, the Murphy Farm, John Brown’s Fort, as well as a turn on the C & O Canal. There is a full marathon that serves as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, or, for those who are not quite as ambitious, there is a 5 K, a 10K, and even a free kids fun run! “It will be amazing to watch a couple hundred kids running up German Street.” Says Dr. Cuczella, and while the race is free, donations will be accepted to fund kid-oriented projects through the Wild and Wonderful Trails for Every Child Project (see below). http://www.freedomsrun.org/KidsRun.aspx
In addition to highlighting several of our areas historical riches, this run has focused on health and fitness – fighting obesity, and promoting activity in a way that has attracted more than your average runner. Recently, I ran into Traci Morris, friend, wife, professional and mother of two. She was inspired by the event and the break off groups of families that were meeting on the canal to train in a very low key setting and decided to enter in the first competitive run of her life. She has been running regularly ever since and is an inspiration to those of us who might have thought you needed to be a hardcore athlete to enter into such an event! As a side benefit, after watching mom circle her on the school trail, her six year old daughter has now run her first mile and was very excited about it!
One primary beneficiary of the run is the Wild and Wonderful trails for Every Child Project. This project brings together over 40 community partners with the goal of providing outdoor space accessible to children. The grant will support the building of nature trails and community gardens at area schools and parks, promote family fitness, nutrition, and designate safe walking and biking routes for children to get to school. Another partner and beneficiary is the Washington’s Way West Heritage Alliance, working toward creating a National Heritage area highlighting our cultural, environmental and agricultural riches as well as working towards a sustainable future for the Eastern Panhandle.
In the end, the real beneficiaries will be the hundreds of participants of every age who have set a goal for fitness and are working to achieve it. “If the outcome of this is more families walking and running, better health for our community, and a deeper understanding of the land we live on…then we will call this a success.” Dr. Cucuzella.
Our thanks to Dr. Cucuzella and the countless volunteers who will make this run possible.
www.freedomsrun.org
–Susan Womeldorf, Secretary, ACFF Board of Directors
Tags: Susan Womeldorf