SWANZEY, NH (March 22, 2013) – David Cairns, executive director of Pilgrim Pines Conference Center, is running the 26.2 Boston Marathon to raise $12,445, which would cover the cost of sending 26.2 children to camp.
Cairns is partnering with Community Covenant Church – located near the race’s starting line in Hopkinton – to seek pledges that would enable the children to go to Camp Squanto. Pilgrim Pines operates the camp. A typical week at Squanto costs $475.
Cairns says the donations actually will enable far more children to camp since scholarships generally cover a portion of the registration fee.
Running is nothing new to Cairns, although the 26.2-mile distance is a long stretch for him. He ran track at his alma mater, Drake University, and specialized in the 800-meter.
Cairns is training along the shores of Swanzey Lake, where Pilgrim Pines is located, and on the roads throughout Swanzey. He says the rolling terrain is excellent preparation for the Boston Marathon’s course, which includes the infamous “Heartbreak Hill.”
The race is April 15 and with three weeks to go, Cairns has pledges totaling $3,120. Click here to support Cairn’s efforts. Donations are tax-deductible.
