Saturday's St. Malachi Church Run: A Reboot of a Classic Cleveland Tradition
/A new chapter in the 38th Annual St Malachi Church Run went off with flying green colors Saturday as 3,700 Irish (and non-Irish) eyes were smiling on a sun-soaked Cleveland morning. Fr Tony Schuerger, the pastor of St Malachi Parish, was also smiling because chairperson Sharon Chapman, a CPA by trade, was conservatively estimating the event would yield $50,000 for the Church's many ministries. Those proceeds are thanks to the participants and the event's many sponsors, including presenting sponsor Onix Technologies and Legacy sponsor Judge Daniel Gaul. The funds raised stood in stark contrast to the pittance St. Malachi received from its previous longtime race organizer.
In addition to the run entry proceeds, participants contributed $6,970.00 in direct donations to the church. "One of the things that kept getting repeated to me was that the vibe was so good this year, that it felt different," said Chapman. " I don't know what the reason for this was, but I wonder if it was because the runners knew their participation truly benefitted our ministries and help the marginalized of Cleveland. Or it could have also been because the Church was packed at the Mass held prior to the event, and the spirit of the Mass carried over to the two runs. Or it could have simply been God smiling down on us through the beautiful sunshine of the day! Whatever the reason, it was a great day for all involved, from the runners to the people that St Malachi serves! Thank you all and God bless!"
St. Patrick's Day is now just five days away and spring is only eight days away! You're invited to Share the River's 2nd Annual Share the River Ramble on June 22, our 2 1/2 and 5-mile run/walk (and beer and music-fest) that celebrates how far the Cuyahoga River has come since the June 22, 1969 fire (St. Malachi Parish is our charity partner!). Register today as our current planning caps the field at 1,000 runners/walkers. https://legacy.imathlete.com/events/BurningRiverRamble2018
