Pier A in Hoboken was filled with over 200 runners for Tau Beta Pi’s Pi Mile Run last Saturday.
Tau Beta Pi is the nation’s second oldest honor society, and the only engineering honor society representing the entire engineering profession. The NJ Alpha chapter at Stevens is the fourth oldest chapter and was founded in 1896.
The run was organized by Tatyana Fedorenko, Tau Beta Pi Philanthropy Chair for the 2014 Academic Year, who will be graduating in May. Originally planned for the fall of 2014, the run had to be moved to the spring because of complications in communicating with the city of Hoboken.
The race was named the Pi Mile Run because its length would be about “pi” miles (3.4 miles or 5 kilometers). Starting at Pier A, it stretched along the waterfront overlooking the NYC skyline to 15th Street, back south along Sinatra Drive, and circled the pier to the finish line where racers were greeted with refreshments.
After the run, the participants could also receive a free massage from the Cortiva Institute as well as smoothies given out by Re-Juice-A-Nation, both located just west of the pier. Boardwalk Burgers and Fries was the Pi Mile Run primary sponsor. CarePoint Medical sponsored the post-race celebration. Other sponsors of the Pi Mile Run included ZestFest 2016 and WCPR – Castle Point Radio, Stevens campus radio station that provided pumping tunes and audio equipment; RoadID, a Kentucky based company specializing in runner’s ID bands; and Fleet Feet Sports, a retail chain for athletic apparel who are constantly providing help to local groups and athletes.
The top runners of the race where Brian Lowery at 17:06:58, followed by Matthew Daw and Patrick Casey in second and third.
There were many prizes for the runners of the race, provided by Fleet Feet and RoadID. Prizes were given to the top runners overall, in each age category, last place, middle of the pack, and best fundraisers for both male and female participants.
When asked about why the Alzheimer’s Foundation was selected as the recipient of the donation, Fedorenko responded that the organization represents something personal for her and her collaborators. “I had worked with the foundation before,” said Fedorenko, and continued to express how sad the disease is especially because it is passed genetically. Even the thought of her own grandmother losing memory with age is scary enough.
With the combination of the runners and generous donors, Tau Beta Pi raised over $3,500 for the Alzheimer’s Association as part of its philanthropy program.
The mission of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is to “provide optimal care and services to individuals confronting dementia, and to their caregivers and families, through member organizations dedicated to improving quality of life.” With the help from Tau Beta Pi, the association will grow with better research and supplies to help provide families with improved quality of life.
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