GNAC Student-Athletes To Volunteer At The 6th Annual Brian J. Honan 5K Road Race
By Melissa Maitland
GNAC Sports Information Specialist
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference will continue its
tradition of volunteering at The 6th Annual Brian J.
Honan 5K Road Race, which is scheduled for Sunday, September
20th at noon. Last year over 100 GNAC
student-athletes volunteered at the Brian Honan 5K by directing
people to the parking lots, registering the more than 1000 runners,
cutting oranges, carrying ice, and supporting runners and walkers
along the three mile course.
The Emmanuel College men's and women's cross country and track and
field teams are a staple at the Brian Honan 5K each year.
Head Coach Tony DaRocha stated, "Our team looks forward every year
to helping out at the Brian Honan Race. It is our first
opportunity of the school year to work as a collective group.
We feel that it is very important to give back to the community and
we know that this race provides a lot of assistance for various
groups. We appreciate the assistance we get when we compete
so it is nice to be able to provide help to others as well.
Every year we try to get more and more of our student-athletes
out there volunteering at different community events and the Brian
Honan Race is by far our most successful turn out."
It is this type of charitable work that earned the Emmanuel College
cross country and track and field teams the 2009 Student Affairs
Award, which is presented yearly to a club, organization, team,
class, or group of students at Emmanuel who enhanced the quality of
life at the college or in the surrounding community.
Another team that will be lending a hand at the Brian Honan 5K is
the Suffolk University women's soccer team. Head Coach Ernst
Cleophat said, "My players volunteer to participate in the Brian
Honan 5K Road Race because it is a great cause, and they are
learning a lot more than just competing for a Championship, they
are learning about life. As I always share with them, when
you help others you help yourself."
With athletes and teams from several other GNAC member institutions
posed to volunteer at this year's event, race director Richard
Grealish believes that public service opportunities like this allow
student-athletes the chance to become a part of the
community. "Many students live in Allston-Brighton and the
surrounding areas, and turning out let's them see that
Allston-Brighton is more than just a place where college students
live. They see couples, families, and senior citizens along
the race route," said Grealish.
Brian Honan was a teacher, an athlete, a prosecutor and a city
councilor who believed in giving ordinary people the chance to live
extraordinary lives. Following his passing in 2002 at the
young age of 39, the Brian J. Honan Charitable Fund was created to
carry on his legacy. All proceeds from the Brian Honan 5K
benefit the Charitable Fund, as well as the scholarship funds of
both the Allston and Brighton Boards of Trade.
State Representative Kevin Honan, Brian's older brother, stated
that "the Brian Honan Road Race is a way for our family and our
community to continue Brian's legacy as a public servant who cared
deeply about our city of Boston. This race is a great tribute
to Brian's memory as the profits go to the causes he
championed: youth services, housing, and local
Allston-Brighton services."
Brian Honan was involved with the West End House Boys & Girls
Club, the YMCA, and the Boston Public Library throughout his
life. These are just a few of the many non-profit
organizations that benefit from the Charitable Fund and the Brian
Honan 5K.
According to race director Grealish, the Brian Honan 5K continues
to grow in terms of participation and support each year. This
year's family-friendly run/walk begins and ends at The Kells of
Boston, located at 161 Brighton Avenue in Allston
Village.
For more information please visit http://www.brianhonan.org/ or join the Brian J. Honan 5K group on Facebook.
