Posted April 22, 2022 in Articles
Author: COURTNEY BYRNES
Menorah Park hopes to carry on the momentum of the virtual Home Run fundraiser as the race returns to in person for the first time in two years.
The eighth annual fundraiser, which has been held virtually during COVID-19, is a 5k or one-mile walk or run to benefit Menorah Park and fund programs and services.
“This is the first year since 2019 that will be in person again, so we’re very excited about that,” Cole Pesses, an associate board member, told the Cleveland Jewish News April 18. “We actually had a pretty good amount of success with the virtual Home Run event the last two years, and we’re able to continue increasing our fundraising efforts.”
Pesses, who lives in Shaker Heights and grew up attending The Temple Tifereth Israel in Beachwood, said going virtual allowed them to engage more people outside the community who they hope will continue to support Menorah Park.
This year’s goal is $100,000 to go toward general operating dollars and support a variety of programs and services. In the past, over 200 people have participated in the Home Run event, and this year Pesses said they hope to get even more.
“We were able to meet that same goal last year and hoping to exceed that level this year,” Pesses said. “We’re about 70% of the way there right now and looking to our home stretch here to get above $100,000.”
In this May 2018 photo, Runners young and old take off from the starting line on May 6 during The Montefiore Foundation’s fourth annual Home Run 5K Run/Walk & 1 Mile Walk at Ursuline College in Pepper Pike.
The route for the race is on Ursuline College’s campus in Pepper Pike, and Menorah Park is working with Hermes Sports & Events in Cleveland for the race management and the local police department to ensure the safety of all. Participants can choose to register as an individual, join an existing team or create their own team.
The event is meant to be fun for the whole family, whether they are competing or cheering on runners and walkers or enjoying games inside Ursuline’s gym, Pesses said.
“It’s a family-friendly event, community-wide,” he said. “Adrenaline Monkey is a group out of Solon that will be setting up some obstacle courses and other little games inside the gym at Ursuline so there will be some stuff to do besides just the race and the walk.”
Participants are encouraged to share posts on social media using #HomeRun2022. The event also helps garner awareness of Menorah Park’s presence in the community while helping the foundation to continue to improve the lives of older people, said Brian Sokol, chief development officer of Menorah Park and a member of Park Synagogue in Cleveland Heights and Pepper Pike.
“This is a fun and easy way to support a good cause,” Sokol said. “Proceeds from Home Run provide important general operating dollars to support Menorah Park programs and services.”
The event is co-chaired by Pesses, Andy Isaacs, David Saltzman and Marty Shankle.
The Cleveland Jewish News is a media sponsor of the event.
Publisher's Note: Andy Isaacs is a sales and marketing manager at Cleveland Jewish News.
