NE Runner dev site
Maine College of Art Students Design Poster to Commemorate Special 20th Running of TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race
Winning design will be produced as a keepsake for runners in Aug. 5 road race in Cape Elizabeth
CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine (January 31, 2017)
ÛÒ The TD Beach to Beacon has collaborated with Maine College of Art on
the design of a commemorative poster for the special 20th running of the
iconic 10K road race on Aug. 5 in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
Each
registered runner this year will receive a poster as a keepsake from
the classic American summer road race founded by Olympic gold medalist
and Maine native Joan Benoit Samuelson.
The
winning design was created by MECA student Kirk Simpson of York, Maine.
He was one of nine students tasked with coming up with original ideas
for the commemorative poster. SimpsonÛªs design was inspired by the
diversity of spectators as they watched runners traverse the course to
the Portland Head Light, the famed lighthouse near the finish line.
The project was led by Drew Hodges, a faculty member at Maine College of Art
for the class named Emotional Branding. More than 20 designs were
presented to a committee of race officials, who selected the winner.
The TD Beach to Beacon
made a $2,500 contribution in recognition of the studentÛªs work. The
funds will be used to support the professional development of students:
each student received a one-year membership to AIGA, the professional
association for graphic design, plus all their printing costs were
covered while the remaining funds will be directed to take advantage of
off-campus opportunities, Hodges said.
ÛÏThe
real-world experience of working with Joan and the team at TD Beach to
Beacon was such a joy for the students as it had everything they love –
challenge, community, diversity and good design,Û said Hodges, Adjunct
Faculty, Graphic Design. ÛÏTD Beach to Beacon supported our students at MECA emotionally and practically – we could not have asked for more.”
Samuelson
said each of the student designers presented stellar work, making the
task of selecting a winner difficult. Each of the designs will be on
display over race weekend.
ÛÏThese
students in DrewÛªs class were so inspiring to us all in the way they
embraced this project in such a professional and artistic manner,Û she
said. ÛÏMECA should be proud of their efforts as I know we were. Bravo to
Kirk and to the rest of his classmates.Û
As
part of their design process, the students were required to meet with
members of the TD Beach to BeaconÛªs 20th Committee to “interview the
client.” They asked about the race, its history and meaning, and the
people behind it. Of the 20 designs submitted, 12 made it through the
first round of judging. A few of the finalists then made some minor
tweaks and submitted for a final review before SimpsonÛªs design was
selected as the winner.
Hodges is the founder of SpotCo, an advertising agency in New York. He is author of On Broadway: From Rent to Revolution which was published last spring by Rizzoli. His agency created the branding for many musicals, including Rent and Hamilton. Hodges recently relocated to Portland and Emotional Branding was his first class at MECA.
Samuelson
also credited Marji Adams and Candace Karu, two long-time supporters of
and participants in the TD Beach to Beacon, for approaching MECA last
summer with the idea of a poster design contest as part of the 20th running celebration.
ÛÏMarji and Candace really made this happen, and we salute them as well,Û Samuelson added.
This year marks the special 20th
running of the iconic TD Beach to Beacon, which draws runners from
throughout the region and the world to picturesque Cape Elizabeth. The
race begins near the Crescent Beach entrance on Route 77, winds along
tree-lined streets and past ocean vistas, and ends in Fort Williams Park
at the historic Portland Head Light, the most photographed lighthouse
in the world.
Samuelson,
a worldwide running icon who won the first Olympic womenÛªs marathon in
1984, grew up in Cape Elizabeth training on many of the same roads. In
2016, 6,336 runners from 15 countries, 43 states and more than 265 Maine cities and towns finished
the winding, rolling, often breathtaking 6.2-mile coastal course.
Thousands of spectators cheered runners along the route and at the
finish, and more than 800 volunteers helped ensure a smooth operation.
The race debuted in 1998 with 2,408 runners crossing the finish line.
The TD Beach to Beacon 10K 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 best in the business.
LetÛªs Go!,
a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program based in
Portland, was recently selected as the 2017 race beneficiary. The TD
Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank (www.TDBank.com),
will provide a $30,000 donation to LetÛªs Go!, which will also benefit
from fundraising activities and increased awareness through its
association with one of MaineÛªs premiere sporting events.
For additional information about the TD Beach to Beacon, visit www.beach2beacon.org, and find the TD Beach to Beacon on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Maine College of Art
Founded
in 1882, Maine College of Art offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts, a Master
of Fine Arts in Studio Art, a Master of Arts in Teaching, as well
as Continuing Studies for adults and youths, including a Pre-College
intensive for high school students. To learn more, visit www.meca.edu.
About the TD Charitable Foundation
The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, AmericaÛªs Most Convenient Bank®,
one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United
States. The Foundation’s mission is to support individuals, families and
businesses in the communities that TD Bank serves. The Foundation has
made more than $167.3 million in
charitable donations since its inception in 2002, primarily in the areas
of 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.
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 8 million customers with a full range
of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services
at approximately 1,300 convenient locations throughout the Northeast,
Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD
Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth
management services through TD Wealth®, and vehicle financing
and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is
headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.tdbank.com. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US.
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. 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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.