Brandt Brisson, a Ballston Spa native who now lives in Watertown, MA, recently competed in the Boston Marathon, completing it in a time of 4:08:32, finishing 16,849 out of 30,000, and raising more than $3,250 for the charity Boston Partners in Education.
Brisson said he’s committed to reaching his $5,000 goal and hopes the commitment he showed to running and completing the race will result in more donations. He chose Boston Partners in Education because he has been dedicated to volunteering with the organization’s Power Lunch Program for three years now. The program, alive since 1995, pairs volunteer academic mentors from Boston-area companies with students in grades one to three to encourage their interest in reading. The mentor serves as a role model, meeting weekly to read aloud together, work on word games or just chat about common interests or hobbies.
The Boston Marathon is a 26.2 mile course from rural Hopkington to downtown Boston. To train for the race, Brisson started in late fall and ran throughout the winter, braving the wintry weather and chronicling his journey and milestones on his blog called get d.w.a.r.f: DEAD OF WINTER AMATEUR RUNNING FANATIC.
The marathon is the second largest single-day sporting event in the country, stooping only to the NFL’s Super Bowl.
Brisson graduated from Ballston Spa High School where he was on the varsity wrestling and soccer teams. He and his wife have one son and are expecting another child in May.
To read his blog, check out getdwarf.blogspot.com. To make a donation, make checks payable to Boston Partners in Education and mail to Mary’s Beauty Salon, 241b Milton Ave., Ballston Spa, NY 12020.
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