Marathon Feat

A group of students in the naval science program at Holy Cross ran in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., last month, raising $16,764 for the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, a non-profit that assists wounded Marines, sailors and their families. The team raised more funds than any other in the nation.

Sea Thomas, Marine officer instructor in the department of naval science at Holy Cross, said 17 of his students — or 40 percent — accepted his invitation to run with him at the 2008 Marine Corps Marathon to support injured Marines.

Under the direction of Thomas, the midshipmen — future Navy and Marine Corps officers — started their fundraising efforts on Sept. 23.

“These young men and women are a daily inspiration,” wrote Thomas in his e-mail, seeking support from donors. “Their commitment to country and service is extraordinary, and I feel blessed to work with such fine people on a daily basis.”

Thomas explained the important mission of the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.

“The young Americans returning from combat, especially those who have sacrificed so much in defense of our country deserve to be honored,” Sea wrote. “This means doing our best to help improve the quality of life for a Marine who has lost her vision in combat, helping to pay for a bathroom modification for a wheelchair bound veteran, or helping the wife of a wounded Marine afford a plane ticket to be at her husband’s bedside.”

The message resonated; before long, it had circulating far and wide. Sea even heard from a past colleague stationed in Florida. The e-mail directed readers to a Holy Cross team site which contained more information about the marathon and the individual bios of each team member that Sea says proved influential for family and friends.

“More remarkable than the money raised is the fact that we had so many donors: 245 total,” says Thomas. “This tremendous generosity will translate into meaningful improvements in the lives of our wounded heroes returning from combat.”

The team was composed of 11 students from Holy Cross, three from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and three from Worcester State College.

The Holy Cross students were: Laura Bloomfield ’09, Blaise Cummo ’09, Katelyn Curran ’11, Timothy Drain ’09, Matthew Dangler ’09, Ryan Nelson ’10, Brynn Olson ’10, Conor O’Neil ’09, Timothy Pellegrino ’10, James Stenger ’10, and Andrew Wing ’09. WPI students were Michael Collins, Tyler Hay, and Ashley Saylor. Worcester State students were Danny Hamler, Michael McDevitt, and John McJunkin V.

“Timothy Pellegrino, who was in charge of the team, simply did a spectacular job,” says Thomas. “He organized all aspects of transportation, lodging, and communications with the marathon staff; the entire operation went off without a hitch.”

He continues: “John McJunkin was the ‘team trainer’ — he prepared physical training plans and ensured that each runner was sticking to a solid training schedule. As a result, all runners finished the race, even though this was the first marathon for nearly everyone.”

The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund raised $252,255. The fundraising goal was $150,000.

Pictured: Conor O'Neil '09, Andrew Wing '09 and Blaise Cummo '09 pose for a picture during the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C.

Related Information:

• Naval Science (NROTC)