Chicago-Area Residents to Run Alongside U.S. Women Soccer Stars

Chicago-Area Residents to Run Alongside U.S. Women
Soccer Stars Hope Solo, Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan as Part of the “Let’s Run Together” Charity Relay at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon 

Runners to Make Opportunity Possible for Worthy Charities
with a $5,000 Donation from Bank of America

Chicago – On October 9, Chicago-area residents Danielle Maglinte, Hailey Danisewicz, Susan Taylor, Scott Herrick, Chad Doellinger, Pat Arbor and Joe Jasnosz, along with six other runners from across the country, will participate in a unique charity relay during the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, running alongside relay team captains U.S. soccer stars Hope Solo, Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan. These participants were chosen from hundreds of runner applications for Bank of America’s new “Let’s Run Together Charity Relay” program detailing how their participation would help to make opportunity possible in their local community with a $5,000 charitable contribution to the following charities from Bank of America: American Heart Association, Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association, Ups For Downs, The Greater Chicago Food Depository, Susan G. Komen For The Cure, Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, and Kendall County Triad.

“Let’s Run Together” is the theme for this year’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon and celebrates the partnerships, connections and support systems that come together each year to stage and participate in this world-class event. The Let’s Run Together Charity Relay is representative of the thousands of people who will run together in the 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon for approximately 160 local, national and global charities. Last year, approximately 10,000 registered runners raised a record $12 million for 150 local, national and international charities, filling a gap with many organizations struggling to keep up with growing demands for services as a result of the slow economic recovery. Since its inception in 2002, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon has helped runners to generate nearly $60 million in nonprofit donations.  

About the Chicago-area “Let’s Run Together” Charity Relay Team Members

Danielle Maglinte decided to fight back against her family’s history with heart disease by taking control of her health and lowering her risk of heart disease through a healthier lifestyle of diet and exercise. Running became part of her routine, thanks to the help and support of friends.  Maglinte will be running in support of the American Heart Association, which stresses the importance of making small lifestyle changes to ultimately improve overall health.

Hailey Danisewicz lost her leg to bone cancer at the age of 14 and thought her running days were done. Then she was introduced to dare2tri, a paratriathlon club operated by the Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA). Danisewicz was inspired to continue to run and was fitted with a running leg that allowed her to complete her first triathlon. Danisewicz will be running to support GLASA’s dare2tri program, which assists individuals with physical disabilities and visual impairments.

Susan Taylor runs for her daughter Mallory, who was born with Down Syndrome. Mallory has been in and out of hospitals after undergoing two heart surgeries and lives with remaining heart defects that she deals with on a daily basis. Thanks to Ups for Downs, a parent-run organization that strives to provide support, information, and a sense community to families of individuals with Down Syndrome, Mallory is making great strides, enjoys being a competitive cheerleader and brightens the day of everyone around her.  Taylor will be running for Ups for Downs to not only build awareness of the disease, but to create opportunities for those with Down Syndrome.

Scott Herrick and his family are recipients of local food banks that help ease the burden for those who do not have enough money to pay bills or buy groceries.  By running to support the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Herrick is selflessly giving back to the local charity that has helped his family. Through the relay, Herrick will be helping the 650 food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters that support more than half million people in the Chicago area. Herrick hopes that it will encourage others to give back to their own community in support of their fellow neighbors.

Chad Doellinger never met his mother-in-law. His wife lost her mom to breast cancer when she was just 10 years old and her mother was 33. This year, Doellinger’s wife is 33 and his oldest daughter is 10, so in honor of his late mother-in-law, Doellinger is running for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation to raise money and awareness in the fight against breast cancer. Doellinger decided to run to help prevent others from going through what his wife endured when she lost her mother. The funds will go to increasing awareness and providing education and screenings to those who need it most.

Pat Arbor is living proof that organizations like Mercy Home for Boys & Girls can have a profound impact on the lives of young people. As a boy, Arbor received stability and support at the Mercy Home, and it helped him go on to build a successful future and career. Arbor will be running on behalf of Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, and will be running the part of the marathon course that passes the home itself. His goal is to encourage more people to support this charity, which provides care, education and opportunity for young people from severely disadvantaged and dangerous living situations.

Joe Jasnosz leads by example, as a police sergeant, showing others that physical fitness and community support should be a way of life even when everyday tasks get in the way, regardless of age.  However, in his community, Jasnosz often sees the quality of life slipping among the senior residents. Jasnosz will be running to support the Kendall County Triad, whose purpose is to forge a relationship between law enforcement and service providers so senior citizens can receive the assistance they need to improve their quality of life. Programs this organization offers include well-being checks, grass cutting services, emergency cell phones, and Knox box installations (providing fire departments access to a key that unlocks a senior’s home).

As part of the relay team, the Chicago participants will run a two-mile leg of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, culminating with the U.S. women’s soccer trio and the entire relay team running together across the finish line. For their participation, each relay team member will be awarded a trip for two to the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, along with a $5,000 contribution to their charity they chose to represent.

From the hundreds of entries submitted since August 22, a panel of judges from Bank of America and the Bank of America Chicago Marathon selected 13 runners whose inspirational stories and participation in the charity relay will help to benefit more than a dozen charities in Chicago and around the country.  As part of the charity relay, Bank of America will donate $5,000 to the following charities on behalf of each of the following relay team members:

1. Danielle Maglinte, Evanston, ll., American Heart Association
2. Hailey Danisewicz, Evanston, Ill., Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association
3. Susan Taylor, Spring Grove, Ill., Ups For Downs
4. Scott Herrick, Gurnee, Ill., The Greater Chicago Food Depository
5. Chad Doellinger, Chicago, Ill., Susan G. Komen for the Cure
6. Pat Arbor, Chicago, Ill., Mercy Home for Boys & Girls
7. Joe Jasnosz, Yorkville, Ill., Kendall County Triad
8. Christie Galvin, Orlando, Fla., American Cancer Society Relay for Life
9. Dori Luke, Matthews, N.C., Girls on the Run, Inc. 
10. Dylan Kwait, Brooklyn, N.Y., Chicago Diabetes Project
11. James Tiller, Mooresville, N.C., Children’s Miracle Network
12. Kimberly Mueller, San Diego, Calif., Got Your Back Network Memorial-Frogman238 Memorial Fund
13. Wayne Drash, Atlanta, Ga., American Cancer Society

“Each year, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon represents a positive celebration of community, and truly is a unique event that makes opportunity possible to give back,” said Bank of America Illinois Market President, Tim Maloney.  “We’re proud of the charitable impact this event has for organizations in Chicago and the extended reach here in Chicago and neighboring cities through these local runner’s participation.”

Bank of America Chicago Marathon
In its 34th year and as a member of the World Marathon Majors, the 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will start and finish in Chicago’s Grant Park on Sunday, October 9. In advance of the race, a two-day Health & Fitness Expo will be held at McCormick Place Convention Center October 7-8. For more information, visit www.chicagomarathon.com or follow the event via www.twitter.com/chimarathon or www.facebook.com/chicagomarathon.

Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 58 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 5,700 retail banking offices and approximately 17,800 ATMs and award-winning online banking with 30 million active users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in more than 40 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange

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