Kensico Cemetery will hold its Annual 5K Run/Walk to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association on Sunday, Oct. 31.
“After a tough year that impacted so many people on so many levels, we are delighted that we can host this event for in-person participation, and once again, raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley Chapter,” said Kensico Cemetery President Matthew G. Parisi. “It will be great to welcome back to Kensico Cemetery our neighbors, our sponsors, our community, on (hopefully) a beautiful Sunday morning.”
The event will include features that became popular in past years, along with some new ones.
“We’ll have all the wonderful hospitality features people have come to expect at the Kensico 5K Run/Walk, including the catered breakfast and the incredible raffle prizes,” said Judy Mitchell, Public Relations Consultant for Kensico. “This year, we’ve added a couple of “Welcome Back” surprises, but you have to come to the event to find out what they are.”
Runners and walkers are welcome to attend, and dogs on leashes are also welcome. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, soups, muffins, juices and fruit will be provided before the Run/Walk as participants enter raffles, don their commemorative T-shirts and runners attach their timer bibs.
After some brief welcome remarks and a short warm-up exercise with Volunteer Coordinator Jocylen Roberts, participants will move to the 9:15 a.m. start line, and the 5K through the grounds of Kensico Cemetery will begin. The 3.1-mile route starts just above Mineola Lake, goes up Seneca Avenue, then up, down and around avenues of trees, circling Minnewaska, past Franklin Montross, Jr., Pond and crossing the Finish Line back at Mineola Lake. Walkers have two options: To follow the 3.1-mile runner’s course, or take a 1.7-mile shorter route, which starts at the same Start Line, goes up Seneca Avenue to the tower and back down on Tecumseh to the Lake. There will be route maps available and staff will be available to provide directions.
Following the Run/Walk, participants are invited to gather at the Event Building, where a full breakfast from Fox Catering will be set up, including egg roll-ups and cookies. Awards will be presented to the top three female and top three male runners, and raffle winners will be announced.
The cost to participate is $50 for adults, which includes $10 in raffle tickets, and $15 for children 12 and under. Participants can register online here and make an additional donation at that time or during the event.
This is the first time the 5K has been held since fall 2019. It was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, although the cemetery still sought donations for the organization, raising more than $41,000.
The relationship between the nonprofit and the cemetery began six years ago, when the Kensico staff were looking for an organization to utilize their historic and beautifully landscaped grounds.
“Our thought was that we wanted to open up our property to a charity so that they could conduct a fundraiser on our grounds. We reached out to the Alzheimer’s Association, since their mission aligned with ours, with us both being in the memory business,” Mitchell said.
Money raised by the 5K will go to The Longest Day, an Alzheimer’s Association fundraiser that encourages participants to create their own events to raise money. The event is named in honor of the long days spent by dementia caregivers caring for their loved ones. Efforts are celebrated on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Learn more about The Longest Day at alz.org/tld.
