GREENFIELD — When they run the Boston Marathon for the first time this April, Gray Davidson Carroll will be raising money for Make-A-Wish of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Davidson Carroll has committed to raising $13,000, and has so far raised about $5,000, they said. Between now and the Boston Marathon, there will be several local fundraisers. The soonest is a raffle at Lady Killigrew Cafe on Sunday from 5:30 to 9 p.m. All money from drinks and raffle tickets will support Davidson Carroll’s Make-A-Wish campaign.
Davidson Carroll, who is 18 and a sociology student at Greenfield Community College, only started running about a year ago, when they were visiting New Zealand to work for an outdoor education program.
“I didn’t really know anybody there. I didn’t have a peer group,” they said. “So running became something I did both because it was cheaper than public transportation, and because it was a way to kill time. And eventually, because it was something that I just really grew to love.”
Boston will be Davidson Carroll’s first marathon, but they feel prepared. In October, they won a 14-mile trail race at Mount Toby. Two weeks ago, they ran 23.5 miles. The Boston Marathon is 26.2. Davidson Carroll said their goal for Boston is to beat their mother’s best Boston Marathon time of 3:54.
“The running itself I’m not too stressed about,” they said. “But fundraising, yes.”
Make-A-Wish, the organization Davidson Carroll is running for, coordinates “wishes” for children with life-threatening illnesses. Most commonly, they said, these involve meeting someone famous or going somewhere special.
“I think almost half of all wishes are to go to Disney World,” Davidson Carroll said.
If Davidson Carroll doesn’t reach their $13,000 fundraising goal, they will be personally responsible for the difference.
The Lady Killigrew fundraiser is the first of several before the April 20 marathon. On Feb. 14, from noon to 3 p.m., Davidson Carroll will run a half-marathon through downtown Greenfield while wearing a heart costume, starting from GCC. By donating $5 to their Venmo account (graydavidsoncarroll@gmail.com), supporters can add a song of their choice to the playlist for Davidson Carroll’s run.
They are also planning another fundraiser in March at the Ashfield Lakehouse. Details will be announced later, they said. Updates can be found on Gray Davidson Carroll’s Facebook page.
Reach Max Marcus at
mmarcus@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 261.