'Track Friday' Provides Charitable Alternative to Shopping Chaos

Rather than deal with the chaos of Black Friday shopping, locals are invited to a Monmouth County high school—or any public track or path—to help raise money for good causes on Nov. 29.

Known as “Track Friday,” the post-Thanksgiving fundraising effort was spearheaded by Eric Rubinson last year after the marathon runner wanted to support the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

His goal was to run a full marathon at the high school track if his friends and family could raise $5,000. Their support surpassed his expectations, and in the end more than $22,000 was donated.

“Once I started posting on Facebook about what I was doing, others wanted to join the effort,” Rubinson said in an email. “We grew to 27 people total, and sister events popped up on tracks in Cranford (thanks to my wife) and a few other places. A friend from (Middletown High School) North now living in Arizona even did a remote event.”

For 2013, organizers have decided to allow participants to donate to the charity of their choice without having to pay a registration fee.

“The concept is that instead of paying a registration for an organized event, you use the money to support a charity and then go to a publicly available track or running path on Black Friday to put in your distance,” Rubinson said.

There is no set time for the event—Rubinson said the idea is to let participants walk or run on their own schedule—though many will be gathering at the event's main location at the Middletown High School North track between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. 

“You can fundraise if you wish, but you don't have to. It's about being part of the movement, moreso than the actual dollars raised for one particular cause," he said. 

So far, 23 participants are signed up, and 200 donations totaling about $9,500 have already come in, according to the Track Friday Razoo page where participants can pledge their support.

More information about Track Friday, its history and getting involved with the movement is available here.