Running Central joins One Fund Boston cause

Running Central of Peoria is joining with other running stores across the country today to help support those directly affected by the bombing near the end of the Boston Marathon last week.

The Peoria Heights retailer is offering a free fun run starting at 5:30 p.m. at the store at 4450 N. Prospect. While there is no charge t-shirts bearing the words "Runners For Boston" will be sold to raise funds for One Fund Boston. All proceeds from the sales of the $20 shirts will go to that fund, which was established to help those affected by the bombing.

Also, TNT's and Oliver's restaurants in Peoria Heights will have food specials from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. tonight, with 10 percent of the proceeds to be donated to One Fund Boston.

"Within seconds of the first explosion on Monday afternoon, the 12 employees at Marathon Sports, a running specialty store at 671 Boylston Street, came to the aid of the victims on the sidewalk in front of their store. The bomb had exploded only 20 feet from their door, shattering the storefront," a news release about the event said.

"They pulled victims into the store and wrapped their wounds with merchandise to control the bleeding. One employee took off his belt and expertly applied a tourniquet to a woman's mangled arm. Doctors later credited him with saving her arm.

"Running stores across the country were all hit very close to home by what happened Monday in Boston. We're a small family with many of our owners and employees, as well as customers gathering each year on Patriot's Day weekend in Boston for a big family reunion. We're proud of our colleagues at Marathon Sports, inspired by their heroics, and we're joining together with other running stores across the country to respond," the release said.

"This is an opportunity to stand with the national running community and let the people of Boston know that we love their marathon as much as they do, that it's much more than just a race, and that Boston is much more than just a city," the release said.

About the Author

Paul Gordon is the editor of The Peorian after spending 29 years of indentured servitude at the Peoria Journal Star. He’s an award-winning writer, raconteur and song-and-dance man. He also went to a high school whose team name is the Alices (that’s Vincennes Lincoln High School in Indiana; you can look it up).