BOSTON — Though not the world-famous event won in the past by the likes of Meb Keflezighi and Desi Linden, the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk is not for couch potatoes.
Erik Demetropoulos might have a leg (or foot) up, staying in shape for his job as Sunderland Police chief.
“You can’t be out of shape,” he said. “Every year I look forward to it.”
Demetropoulos, 43, is one of at least 13 Franklin County residents registered to participate in Sunday’s annual event, billed as making the most money of any single-day walk in the country. He will be in the presence of Andrea “Andi” Guy, Janet Olander, and Kate Stafford and Dan Stafford, of Greenfield; Stephanie Smith and Terry Norwood, of Conway; Danielle and Kelly Loynd, of Erving; Robin Dumont, Faith Hamberg and Kara LaBonte, of Orange; and Guy’s son, Christopher Duprey, of Gill.
Demetropoulos, entering his ninth or 10th Jimmy Fund Walk, also said police chiefs Jennifer Gundersen of South Hadley and Gary Thomann of Pelham will participate, too. They will join 9,000 people expected to walk in support of adult and pediatric patient care and cancer research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The event has raised more than $135 million over 30 years.
Guy, 59, is preparing for her seventh Jimmy Fund Walk, first learning about the event about six months after her husband, David, died of prostate cancer in 2013.
“It’s amazing,” she said of the walk. “It’s so much positivity.
“I’ll do it for as long as I can,” she added. “Cancer affects everyone in some way.”
Guy said she recently learned her son, Christopher, has signed up.
“His feet will be saying, ‘Damn, should have gotten some really good sneakers and socks,’” she quipped.
Norwood, 78, said he decided to walk because he has battled the disease and his family, coming up from New Jersey and North Carolina, talked him into participating.
“I’ve had cancer a few times, and my daughters and grandkids wanted to do it, so I’m doing it,” he said. “It will be fun to do it.”
According to a press release about the event, participants can choose from four distances along the historic Boston Marathon course — the 5K (3.1 miles) starting at Dana-Farber at 1:45 p.m.; the 10K (6.2 miles) from Newton (rolling start from 10 a.m. to noon); the half-marathon (13.1 miles) from Wellesley (rolling start from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.); or the full marathon (26.2 miles) from Hopkinton (rolling start from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.).
All distance options conclude at the Copley Square finish line, where participants will receive a commemorative 2019 Jimmy Fund Walk medal. There are expected to be 12 refueling stations along the course, as well as poster-sized photographs of inspiring “Walk Heroes” at each mile and half-mile marker.
Walkers must raise a minimum of $325, unless they are 12 or younger, in which case the fundraising minimum is $125. There is also a “Virtual Walker” option for those wanting to raise money but who are unable to attend Sunday.
To register for the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk (#JimmyFundWalk), to support a walker or to volunteer, visit JimmyFundWalk.org or call 866-531-9255. Registrants can enter the promo code NEWS for $5 off the registration fee.
Walkers who do not have a team to join and want to walk with others from their town are welcome to contact the Jimmy Fund Walk to connect them with other walkers in their area.
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.