Samaritans 5K Update: Thank you!

Why we walk

Dosie'sTeam

Make your own "Why We Walk" video and send us the link. We'll post it on the 5K website.

Pint-Size 5K

2012 Memorial List

Race Results!

Team Photos!

Race Photos!

Samaritans lifesaving services - answering crisis lines 24/7, providing suicide prevention workshops, supporting those healing from a loss to suicide - are offered to our communities free of charge. It is only because of your support and the success of this event that we are able to be there for tens of thousands of people each year. Thank you for making Boston and its surrounding communities a healthier, happier place to live!

Thanks to our Sponsors

Sunovion logo

If your company would like to sponsor the Samaritans 5K, please take a look at our 2012 Sponsorship Pledge Form online, or contact Garrett Owen to receive a sponsorship packet in the mail. Thank you!

www.samaritanshope.org

It was a gorgeous morning!

Thanks to all for helping us set new records for the 5K

You're beautiful, Georgie's Gang!

It rained all night and was still drizzling during set-up, but when registration opened at 8am, the rain stopped, and people came out in record numbers! We had more teams, more runners, more walkers and the greatest community spirit ever! It was so inspirational to see Artesani Park awash in the colors of team t-shirts, as individuals and teams walked and ran for someone else's life. Check out some of our pictures (and there will be more to come)!

Thank you, John F's Team

The event set many new records for Samaritans. More people came and raised more money than ever before. Whether you walked or ran, individually or as a part of a team, or if your contribution was to support a team or individual participant - we thank you for getting us this far. If you've gathered pledges, and were unable to join us on Saturday, please send them in - all donations will continue to count toward the 5K, and will be sure to push us up over our goal! We loved the singing of the Boston Children's Chorus, the performance by Peter Parcek and Brian Potts and the hard word of all of our volunteers in making today such an amazing day!!

Mayor Thomas Menino rallied the crowd!

Samaritans helps make Boston a healthier & happier community

The Mayor & Adriel's Team

A highlight of the day's festivities came when Mayor Menino kicked off our program with inspiring opening remarks emphasizing the importance of Samaritans' services to the City of Boston, and his appreciation for the compassion that Samaritans' volunteers bring to those who need support. It was exciting to have Boston's Mayor not only address the crowd, but also to engage in the continued launch of Samaritans' new "Happier Boston" campaign, by passing out oranges stamped and joining us for a "Hi Five" moment with our board chair, Peter Marsh. You can find out more about our campaign at happierboston.org.

Amazing Teams - 150 teams - $300,000 strong!

We exceeded last year and are on track to set new records!

Loved the butterflies, Team Martha!

More than 150 people organized groups large and small into teams - to memorialize a loved one, to honor their own struggles with depression, and/or to celebrate the work of Samaritans. The sense of shared community couldn't be overshadowed by the weather. We want to thank all of our teams and their supporters, and highlight a couple:

The following teams raised more than $10,000 - incredible!

Katherine's Pride Team Captain Erik Diedrichsen crosses the finish with his daughters

These teams raised more than $5,000 - wow!

More than 50 teams and individual fundraisers raised more than $1,000 - thank you!

We have been amazed at the efforts of so many individual and team fundraisers for this year's 5K! Thank you for your efforts if you are a fundraiser, and for your support if you are a donor! Know that the money you have raised and donated will save lives every day on our helplines, in our workshops and out in the community as we support those who are grieving a loss to suicide.

Wonderful Individuals & Friends!

Not everyone participated as a part of a team, but the individual runners, walkers, volunteers, fundraisers, and friends who came out in the rain were another important part of the day's success.

5 year old Kaidan Sheehan won 3rd place in the 12 and under division!

We were thrilled to have another successful race again this year, and send big congratulations out to our race winners in all age categories. Our overall race winner and top male runner was Greg Soutiea with a time of 18 minutes and 35 seconds. Our top female runner was Laurie Ferguson, with a time of 21 minutes and 7 seconds. You can check out the complete race results at racewire.com.

Thanks also to Wally and the folks at the Red Sox Foundation who continue to support Samaritans so generously. We've got lots of great pictures from the day, and more will be coming soon as we hear back from all our photographers. If you have a great photo that you'd like to share, we'd love to see it. Send them along to Garrett.

arm in arm As the longest running5K Run/Walk for suicide prevention in Massachusetts, all funds raised at the Samaritans 5K stay right here to provide direct services in greater Boston and MetroWest. We have kept true to our commitment to inclusiveness. There is no minimum fundraising requirement and there never will be! We want as many people as possible to join us each year for this very special event geared toward generating awareness, creating comunity and raising much needed financial support.

Thank you for being a part of our success!