NE Runner dev site
Center for Grieving
Children Chosen as 2012 Beneficiary of TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race in Cape
Elizabeth, Maine
TD Charitable
Foundation to give $30,000 to the organization, which will also benefit from
fundraising opportunities and publicity
CAPE
ELIZABETH, Maine
(February 23, 2012) ÛÒ TD Bank, AmericaÛªs Most Convenient
Bank®, announced today that the Center for Grieving Children, a Portland,
Maine-based nonprofit organization providing support to
bereaved children and families, has been selected as this yearÛªs
beneficiary of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
In the 25 years since
its founding, the Center for Grieving Children (www.cgcmaine.org) has served more
than 66,000 children, teens, and families through peer support, outreach and
education. The CenterÛªs mission is to provide loving support that
encourages the safe expression of grief and loss and fosters each
individualÛªs resilience and emotional well-being. Services are provided
for free, for as long as people need them, by staff and trained volunteers.
TD Bank (www.TDBank.com), through the TD
Charitable Foundation, will provide a cash donation of $30,000 to the Center
for Grieving Children. The organization also will benefit from fundraising
activities and publicity through its association with one of MaineÛªs
premiere sporting events.
ÛÏThe Center for
Grieving Children is making such a difference in so many lives,Û said
Larry Wold, TD Bank Market President for Maine. ÛÏFor 25 years, they have
been helping children, young adults and families adjust to grief and loss with
a number of invaluable and very effective programs. WeÛªre honored to name
them as this yearÛªs beneficiary.Û
This
year marks the special 15th anniversary of the TD Beach to Beacon
10K, sponsored by TD Bank, AmericaÛªs Most Convenient Bank®,
set for Saturday, Aug. 4 in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The TD Beach to Beacon 10K (www.beach2beacon.org) was founded in 1998
by Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson, a Maine native and running
icon. The TD Charitable Foundation has donated a total of $450,000 to Maine
charities over the 15-year history of the race.
ÛÏWeÛªre
proud to be the beneficiary of this wonderful Maine-grown race. Being chosen
this year honors the CenterÛªs 25 years of service as well the dedication
of our volunteers and the contributions of our community,Û said Anne
Lynch, executive director of the Center for Grieving Children. ÛÏThe race
donation will help us keep our services free for children and families when
illness and death bring them some of the most difficult emotional challenges
imaginable and also can bring considerable financial impacts. Offering our
support for free is especially important now, when calls to the Center have
nearly doubled recently, in part because cuts to other services are reducing
familiesÛª options for information and support.Û
The Center for
Grieving Children was founded in 1987 by the late Bill Hemmens of Portland
following the death of his sister. In trying to find help and support for his
niece Erin, he recognized that children need peers and caring adults to support
them through their grief because death profoundly affects every aspect of their
lives. Today, the Center serves 4,000 people annually.
The Center for
Grieving Children offers a wide range of programs and support to those
experiencing grief:
- Bereavement
support groups
for children and families as well as young adults, led by trained
volunteer facilitators who meet weekly at the Center. - Tender
Living Care (TLC) Program helping children, teens and adults cope
with the changes and losses that come along with serious illness. - Multicultural
Program
serving children who have relocated to Portland from war torn countries.
·
Bereaved
ParentÛªs Group
for parents who lost a child, regardless of the childÛªs age.
·
A
Young Widow and Widowers Group
for those aged 60 and younger who have experienced the death of a spouse or
partner.
- Crisis
response services when a school or community is impacted by the
sudden death or serious illness. The Center offers on-site consultation
and education to teachers and administrators as well as peer support
groups for students, teachers and parents. - Phone
support and information from Center staff to answers questions
and provide information about supporting children through grief and loss,
and for those coping with the serious illness of a loved one.
For
more information about the CenterÛªs programs and volunteer opportunities,
call (207) 775-5216 or visit www.cgcmaine.org.
The
TD Beach to Beacon 10K is one of MaineÛªs premiere sporting events and one
of the most popular events on the U.S. road race circuit. The race draws
runners from throughout the region and around the world to the picturesque
coastal community of Cape Elizabeth. In 2011, runners from 12 countries and 43
U.S. states participated. Thousands of spectators cheer on the runners along
the scenic course and at the finish, and more than 800 volunteers help ensure a
smooth operation.
The
race begins near the Crescent Beach entrance on Route 77 in Cape Elizabeth,
winds past breathtaking ocean vistas, and ends in Fort Williams Park at the
historic Portland Head Light, the most photographed lighthouse in the world.
Registration
for the popular race takes place in mid-March. Runners will continue to register
at the race website, www.beach2beacon.org. Race organizers are
again targeting a race day field of 6,000. A record 5,876 runners finished the
2011 race. The race has more than doubled in size since it debuted 15 years ago
in 1998 when 2,408 runners crossing the finish line.
More
than $60,000 in prize money is awarded to the top finishers and place winners
in the various categories for men and women.
TD
Bank, AmericaÛªs Most Convenient Bank®, is the title
sponsor of the race founded by Samuelson, the 1984 Olympic gold medalist from
Cape Elizabeth and MaineÛªs most recognized athlete. The race is directed
by Dave McGillivray of DMSE Sports (www.dmsesports.com), who also directs
the B.A.A. Boston Marathon and is regarded as one of the top road race managers
in the world.
For
TD Beach to Beacon 10K updates and information, find the race on Facebook and Twitter or visit www.beach2beacon.org.
About the Center for
Grieving Children
The Center for
Grieving Children, based in Portland, Maine, serves more than 4,000 grieving
children, teens, families, and young adults annually through peer support,
outreach, and education. Offering their services at no charge, for as long as
people need them, the CenterÛªs mission is to provide loving support that
encourages the safe expression of grief and loss and fosters each
individualÛªs resilience and emotional well-being. The Center reaches
individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, and relies on financial
contributions from individuals, businesses, foundations, United Way, and special
events. For more information, call (207) 775-5216 or visit www.cgcmaine.org.
About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient
Bank®
TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one
of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 7.8 million customers
with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and
services at more than 1,280 convenient locations throughout the Northeast,
Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and
its subsidiaries offer customized wealth management services through TD Wealth,
and insurance products and services through TD Insurance, Inc. TD Bank is
headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., and Portland, Maine. To learn more, find TD
Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDMoneyLoungeUS, on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/TDBank_US, or visit www.tdbank.com. TD Bank, America’s Most
Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion
Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America
and one of the few banks in the world rated Aaa by Moody’s. The
Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under
the ticker symbol “TD.” To learn more, visit www.td.com.
About
the TD Charitable Foundation
The
TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank N.A., which
operates as TD Bank, AmericaÛªs Most Convenient Bank®, and
is one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States.
The Foundation’s mission is to serve the individuals, families and businesses
in all the communities where TD Bank operates, having made $83.5 million in
charitable donations since its inception in 2002. The FoundationÛªs areas
of focus are affordable housing, financial literacy and education, and the
environment. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including an
online grant application, is available at www.TDBank.com.
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