Union Township Chamber Third Annual Mayor’s Day 5K Walk/Run to Benefit Operation Provide Comfort in Support of Union Beach

Put on your running shoes and help the residents of Union Beach at  the Union Township Chamber of Commerce’s Second Annual Mayor’s Day 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, September 21, 2013.

“A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit Hurricane Sandy relief efforts in Union Beach, NJ, through a charity called Operation Provide Comfort,” said Chamber Executive James Masterson. 

Operation Provide Comfort is a Colts Neck based organization formed out of empathy for storm victims of that town. Union Beach sustained major damage from Sandy, including nearly 200 homes that needed to be demolished, another 500 that took on 5 ft. of water, and another 1,000 that had up to 3 ft. of water damage. Police, Fire, Emergency Services and the school all sustained significant damage, as well.

“We wanted to choose a charity that made an impact in New Jersey and where the funds go directly to benefit the residents,” Masterson said. “Operation Provide Comfort met all of our requirements – and we are pleased to have Union Township helping Union Beach.”

With two major sponsors this year: the YMCA of Eastern Union County and Club Metro USA, the event will start at Union High School on Cooke Drive. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with the actual race commencing at 10:00 a.m.  Participants will traverse a USATF – certified course beginning and ending at the high school.

“This event is part of a community-wide Mayor’s Day, featuring the 5K Run in the morning and the Festival on the Green in the afternoon,” said Chamber Executive James Masterson. “We are grateful to the Township of Union Board of Education for generously hosting this event, and we anticipate an even bigger response this year.”

Prizes will be awarded for various categories, and t-shirts and gift bags will be distributed all participants.

To register, go online to www.compuscore.com. Further information is available by contacting the Chamber directly at 908-688-2777.

The day will also feature a Kid’s Run for grades K through 5 at the high school’s Cooke Memorial Football Field. This event will begin at 9:00 a.m., with registration from 8:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.  The cost to participate is $5.00, payable at the gate. There will be no preregistration – all participants must register that morning.

In addition to Event Sponsors Club Metro USA and the YMCA, the following is a listing of local businesses who have signed on so far as sponsors:  Gold Sponsor: Northfield Bank; Silver Sponsors: Deep Foods, Inc., Investors Bank, PSE&G, and Union Municipal Drug Alliance; Bronze Sponsor: Paige Electric and Supporting Sponsors: Cozy Corner Deli and Caterers and Sneaker Factory.

Businesses wishing to become a sponsor may contact Masterson at executivedirector@unionchamber.com.

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About Operation Provide Comfort:

The leader of Operation Provide Comfort is local Colts Neck resident Lt. Col. Jim Sfayer, USMC Ret.  The Colts Neck Lions Club has taken a prominent role alongside the Colts Neck Community Church in helping Union Beach as part of this effort.

The purpose of the effort is to develop a long term relationship between Union Beach and Colts Neck that will endure long after the storm.  Our approach is to leverage the resources of our town to help the residents of Union Beach who suffered the most devastation and to help collect and coordinate donations of money, physical goods and services to aid in the rebuilding effort. One hundred percent of all donations given to Operation Provide Comfort

  go directly to the residents of Union Beach.  

For more information on Operation Provide Comfort, please visit the Colts Neck Township website or Operation Provide Comfort’s FaceBook page.