An annual 5K run hosted by the crew team will honor an alumnus who was killed in action during his third tour with the United States Marines in August 2006.
The Fourth Annual John McKenna Memorial 5K Run, to be held Saturday at Recreation Park in Binghamton, will raise money for the John McKenna Memorial Fund, which supports the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund and the New York State Trooper Foundation Scholarship Fund.
The money will also be allocated to pay for a new boat recently purchased by Binghamton University’s crew team in McKenna’s name. McKenna was a member of the University crew team from 1994 until he graduated in 1998.
According to Melissa Gomes and Vivien Levine, both co-chairs of the John McKenna Memorial Committee, the final total for the boat came out to $21,670.
“The McKenna family approached the crew team in 2007 in hopes we could memorialize John,” Levine, a junior double majoring in political science and economics, said. “This event has grown since and in effect helped strengthen our crew team to realize the importance of teamwork and helping one another.”
Gomes, a junior majoring in management, said crew members new and old have been coming together to organize the event.
“This event has brought a lot of unity to our team,” she said. “We [started] working on this event in January and we put a lot of effort into it.”
The co-chairs expect around 650 participants in the 5K — mainly students, alumni and community members, as well as marines and troopers.
In addition to the BU crew team, many residents of the Binghamton community and organizations from BU were involved in planning and organizing the 5K event.
“Saturday would not be made possible without the help and support of the McKenna family, the Binghamton community, local businesses, the off-campus community, the Student Association and various fraternities and sororities,” Levine said. “We hope the event facilitates a better relationship between the University and the local community of Binghamton.”
A separate quarter-mile race for children and senior citizens called the “Fun Run” will be held at 9 a.m., 30 minutes prior to the 5K.
“Baxter the Bearcat will be making an appearance and all participants in the ‘Fun Run’ will be awarded with goodie bags,” Levine said. “As for the 5K loop, the top three runners will be awarded gift baskets filled with certificates to local businesses as well as lots of baked goods from the crew team.”
More information is available at binghamtoncrew.org/5k.