By Ed Karvoski Jr., Contributing Writer
Marlborough – Deb Giroux of Marlborough will continue her Thanksgiving Day morning tradition of walking a 5K. For the second year, her efforts will benefit the Citizens Scholarship Foundation of Marlborough (CSFM) “Dollars for Scholars” for which she serves as the board vice president.
The second annual Thanksgiving Day Early Bird 5K Walk/Run will take place Thursday, Nov. 23, at 8 a.m., beginning and ending at the Marlborough Moose Family Center 1129.
“It’s a pretty, scenic route,” she explained. “It’s not too hilly, so it’s great for people who aren’t avid walkers or runners.”
Giroux had walked for several years in the Stow Gobbler 5K, a community fundraiser. Prior to last Thanksgiving Day, she decided that her future holiday walks would benefit the Marlborough nonprofit.
“Last year was CSFM’s first 5K and we got only 61 people,” she noted. “But I remember Stow got 25 people when they started. Now, they get a couple thousand.”
Founded in 1989, CSFM has awarded over $700,000 in scholarships to more than 1,000 Marlborough residents pursuing undergraduate or advanced degrees. When Giroux became involved with CSFM in its early years, she suggested a Brown Bag Social fundraiser and helped promote it.
“We had several years of very successful Brown Bag Specials,” she said. “I got hooked – and I’m still here 25 years later.”
She continued volunteering for past CSFM fundraisers including golf tournaments, spelling bees and motorcycle rides, as well as its current Team Trivia Challenge and Super Bowl Squares.
Giroux’s favorite memory of last year’s inaugural CSFM 5K is a particular family participating together. It was the first 5K walk for a mother whose adult son ran the complete race, then joined his mom to finish the route again – but at her slower pace.
“We were all rooting for her,” Giroux recalled. “It brought families together and was a real good feeling for Thanksgiving Day.”
Homemade pies will be awarded to the first-place male and female runners and walkers, as well as a child.
Pre-registration is $25 for adults, $12 for children under age 12, and available online at earlybird5k.racewire.com. Day of event registration from 7:15 to 7:45 a.m. is $30 for adults, $15 for children under age 12. Questions can be directed to Giroux at 508-481-0056 or [email protected]. For information about CSFM, visit marlborough.dollarsforscholars.org and on Facebook at facebook.com/CSFMarlborough.
