MARATHON RACE DIRECTOR TO HELP BRAILLE PRESS' FUNDRAISER

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The National Braille Press is launching a new fundraiser this weekend with the help of the Boston Marathon’s race director.

Dave McGillivray, who has managed the marathon since 1980, is the featured speaker Sunday evening at the virtual kickoff event for the Braille Across America 2021 Run/Walk/Bike Challenge to benefit the Boston-based nonprofit.

The challenge begins Wednesday and ends on April 19, Patriots Day in Massachusetts and the traditional date of the Boston Marathon. This year’s marathon has been postponed to Oct. 11 due to the pandemic.

Participants in the challenge are asked to complete the distance of a marathon over the course of a month. Participants will log enough miles to virtually run, walk or bike coast-to-coast, or 2,620 miles. Funds raised will be used to bolster braille literacy programs for blind children and adults.

Attendees will also hear from Terri Rupp, a blind runner from Las Vegas, on why braille and running is important to her, and Lisamaria Martinez, of Union City, California, who is also blind, and will speak about her participation in Braille Across America when she will be walking 2.62 miles per day with her children.