This year I am honored and excited to be running the Boston Marathon for Compassionate Care ALS in memory of my Grandpa Norm.
My Grandpa Norm passed away after his battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). He was diagnosed in the fall of 2015 and lived with it until last May. He was able to remain in his beloved home by the river until just a week before he passed. This is due to the endless support provided to him by his family and friends and because of Compassionate Care ALS.
ALS has sparked growing community support through endeavors such as the Ice Bucket Challenge. Unbeknownst to us, the summer of 2014 when my siblings and I dumped ice on ourselves and posted our videos online was the last summer Grandpa Norm was able to join us for our vacation before his diagnosis. We had no idea that we were contributing to a community that would suddenly become a prominent part of our lives.
CCALS is an organization that works directly with individuals in the community to help them and their families work through this disease financially, logistically, and emotionally. Erin MacDonald Lajeunesse was Grandpa Norm’s social worker who made it possible for him to remain in his home for as long as he did by coordinating equipment and home services. She works with Ron Hoffman, who is the founder of CCALS. In a single conversation with Ron about CCALS, their mission, and their plans for continued community support, I felt inspired and motivated to contribute in any way I could.
It has been a dream of mine for a long time to run the Boston Marathon. I have called this city my home for 5 years and have loved it for much longer. As a BU student, I cheered thousands of runners on year after year in Kenmore. I was present at the race in 2013 and was strong with the rest of the city in the aftermath. I have run 5ks, 10k, and half marathons all around Boston and hundreds of uncounted miles up and down the Charles. Running the Marathon was always going to be an emotional and meaningful journey for me, but I could not have dreamed that it would be amplified by being able to directly run in the memory of my Grandpa Norm, and by extension my Grammy, Sandy Haught. I will the run the strongest, and most meaningful race for them, for my family, my friends, and the entire ALS community.
Grandpa Norm was an inspiration to all of us and his optimism and strength never waivered since the moment he was diagnosed. As far as we are all concerned, he beat ALS by never once letting it get him down. Let’s rally around his spirit and contribute to the ALS community and this amazing organization.
– Erin Donovan
Checks can be sent to:
CCALS – Donovan Marathon
PO Box 1052
West Falmouth, MA 02574
Total:
$7,098.86
Contributors
Jason Grunes
Andrew MacKenzie
Colleen Ellis
Reid Campbell
Barry and Gail Musco
Bertucci’s
Naomi Druy
Lori Weinrock
Julie Tracey
Brittani LeBel
Michael Spigarelli
Lindsay Beatty
Alana Lynch
Robert McCarthy
Scott Borgal
Andy & Heide Carbone
Erin Donovan
Timothy Riley
Stacey & Brian Nowak
Ellie Gordon
Griffin Nuttall
Joan Jackson
The Haught Family
MaryJo & Bob MacGowan
Mark & Kate Donovan and Family
Don & Debbie Donovan
Jac-Leen Nash
Erin and Jim Lynch
Diange & Serge Kingery
Robert and Eileen (Nina) Gosselin
Jerome Burke
Burt Keirstead
Colleen Youngs
Donald Demers
Bob & Vicki Kennedy
Steven Morais
Zachary Baker
Courtney Brown
Kerri Withee
Mark Goodwin
Claudia Landazabal
Don and Debbie Donovan
Larry Nuttall
Woody & Bianca Lapham
Amanda Ranttila
Stephen Sargent
Kevin Ma
Nancy and Allan Monk/Gordon
Griffin Nuttall
Grantham Nuttall
Gregory Lebel
Brian Lipson
Ellie Gordon
Allison Feeney
Rachel Mahler
Garrett Nuttall
Philip Ross
Denise Canavan
Joseph Capua
Kelsey Nowak
Comments
– Andrew MacKenzie“Go Erin! Go!”
– Colleen Ellis
“Good luck Erin!! 1 week to go :)”
– Naomi Druy
“You are an inspiration and have unleashed the super power!”
– Lori Weinrock
“So proud of you, Erin! :)”
– Julie Tracey
“GOOD LUCK ERIN!!! I’ll be cheering for you on the side lines!”
– Brittani LeBel
“Have fun!”
– Michael Spigarelli
“Erin — I don’t know who will have the biggest grin after you complete the Marathon, you or Grandpa Norm — who will be running alongside you all the way!!!”
– Robert McCarthy
“This donation is for all of my amazing friends and family who ran with me on my longest long run and celebrated with me afterwards. I am so lucky to have you all by my side. Thank you CCALS for giving me the opportunity to grow in ways I never expected and for all the amazing work that you do.”
– Erin Donovan
“Erin, good luck in your quest to complete the marathon”
– Timothy Riley
“Good luck Erin!”
– Stacey & Brian Nowak
“You got this, Erin!! Grammy and Grampa Norm will be running with you. So proud of you!”
– The Haught Family
“Dear Erin, Uncle Bob and I are so proud of you and your hard work and dedication to this wonderful cause. Please know that Grandma and Grandpa would be so proud of the strong, beautiful woman you have become! May the wind be always at your back for 26.2 miles! Hope to see you at the finish line! All our love.”
– Aunt MJ
“Run Erin Run!!! Sending all our positive vibes for a great marathon. We know Grandpa Norm & Gram Sandy will be cheering u on!!”
– Mark & Kate Donovan and family
“Coming up soon! We are SO proud of you! Best of luck from your three biggest fans!”
– Tim, Meghan and Patrick
“Go get ’em, tiger!”
– Jac-Leen nash
“Good luck, Erin”
– Erin and Jim Lynch
“You are an amazing woman!”
– Diane & Serge
“In honor of great person and a great cause, go Erin, Norm will be smiling down on your Marathon run.”
– Robert and Eileen (Nina) Gosselin
“I was a neighbor of Norm Morais and saw all that CCALS did for him. Norm could not have asked for more. Very, very special people.”
– Donald Demers
“Best of Luck!”
– Colleen Youngs
“Erin – Thanks for the lovely note citing your Grandpa Norm as your inspiration for your run in his honor I know that he’ll be in your thoughts as your traverse the course from Hopkinton to Boston… As you make the turn at the firehouse in Newton (my favorite vantage point), whisper his name… He’ll be right with you – lending you a hand as he so often did – helping you up the hills of Newton… May you find wings on your feet! You go, girl!”
– Bob & Vicki Kennedy
“Erin,
You’ll probably get good energy from Norm right about Heartbreak Hill. Be the best you can be. You’re a great inspiration.
We’ll be thinking about you on that day,
friends of you”
– Dad, Burt and Cheri
“Great cause! Good luck Erin.”
– Jerome Burke
“Good luck Erin!!! You are going to rock it.”
– Courtney Brown
“Good Luck!”
– Kerri Withee
“Good luck Erin!
– Mark & Katie
“Good Luck Erin!”
– Claudia Landazabal
“Merry Christmas, Erin… We are so proud of you… and Grammy and Grandpa Norm would be too! All our love, Mom and Dad.” – Don and Debbie Donovan
“I am so proud of you! I can’t wait to cheer you on in April!”
– Amanda Ranttila
“Congratulations on crushing it at Hampton Beach, and good luck in Boston!”
– Stephen Sargent
“Good luck with your run Erin! Your grandpa would be so proud of you! Thank you for raising awareness about ALS.”
– Kevin Ma
“Great cause/Have fun!”
– Nancy and Allan Monk/Gordon
“I’m so proud of you for running your first Boston Marathon for such an amazing cause and a great organization! You’re going to do incredible, and I’m so glad I can be a part of your journey.”
– Griffin Nuttall
“YOU ROCK MY SOCKS”
– Grantham Nuttall
“You’re gonna kill it and we’ll have a beer waiting for you at the end!”
– Gregory Lebel
“Love you!!!!!!!!! Run for it girl!!”
– Ellie Gordon
“Run fast! Can’t wait to cheer you on!”
– Allison Feeney
“Good luck girl!!! We’ll be cheering for you”
– Rachel Mahler
“So excited for you, Erin! Great race for a great cause. Enjoy it!”
– Garrett & Brittany
“Good luck girl!!! We’ll be cheering for you”
– Rachel Mahler
“Erin, I feel so privileged to have been a part of your early life, and I absolutely loved taking care of you. You were always a very special little girl, and I am not surprised in the least at what an amazing young woman you have become. Your parents must be so very proud of you,not only for all you have accomplished already in your life, but for who you are. I will be cheering you on as you run the Boston Marathon in memory of your Grandpa Norm. God bless you and all your family. With love and fond memories.”
– Denise Canavan
“Run Erin Run!”
– Kelsey Nowak
