2020 Boilermaker Charity Bib Donations

Griffin's Guardians is one of a select few charities chosen by the Boilermaker committee to be a sponsored charity in 2020! The 43rd VIRTUAL Utica Boilermaker will take place on Sunday, September 13 on a course in Syracuse, NY.

Our ten runners far exceeded the team goal and raised over $8000 which directly goes towards the mission of Griffin's Guardians.

We had GG families come out with signs and did lots of cheering for these runners!  

Thank you to all of our runners for securing donations and thank you to everyone who donated! 

Click here to see donations!

Scroll down👇 for pictures and bios of our runners!

Runner Bios

Lynda Poole
Griffin's Guardians has been by my side for 4 years, from our son's terminal brain tumor diagnosis of DIPG, through treatments and in my grief.  They have provided me with emotional support, built community with families affected by childhood cancer, and helped lighten our load.  It is an honor to wear a GG charity bib, to give back and help them support other cancer families..  I run for my son Charlie, who died in 2018, for Griffin, and for far too many children with cancer.

Renee Marchant
I am honored to be able to wear a Griffin’s Guardian bib. There are so many great things about this charity but my biggest motivation for wanting to raise money for this organization is the fact that all the money stays local. There are children right here in our neighborhoods being diagnosed every day. This money goes directly to ease the burdens and support families in our community who are dealing with the unimaginable diagnosis of childhood cancer.

Heather Frawley
I am truly honored to wear a Griffin’s Guardians running bib!!  Many people who know me, know that childhood cancer hits home for my family.  My neice Bridgette, will be a 5 year cancer survivor in November! I have seen first hand how difficult it is for families when their child is battling the un fathomable cancer. Griffin’s Guardians is such an amazing charity! They are here helping to support local families!  All the money raised by this charity is used to help ease the burdens these families are facing and help support local families faced to battle this awful disease! ❤️  

Mallory and Zackary Froelich
We are running for our daughter; for what she has endured and for what she has overcome. We are running for our family; for our triumphs as well as our tribulations. We run for Emma, Mya and Cooper. We run for you, Griffin! 

Emily Kulkus
I am honored to wear a Griffin’s Guardians bib for the first ever virtual Boilermaker! I run for our son, Archie, who was diagnosed with kidney cancer when he was seven months old. The Griffin’s Guardians organization has been a constant in our lives ever since and we are so fortunate for the amazing work they do for children and families in Central New York. We are so fortunate that Archie is now cancer-free and a thriving, chatty, hilarious 4-year-old who is excited to cheer on all of the runners with his big sister, Violet. I also run for the incredible children and families we have met along this journey, including Charlie and Griffin, whose spirits have helped me up more hills than I can count. 

Jean Albanese
This is my third time running the Boilermaker for GG. I wouldn't do it any other way--it's the most inspired running I've ever done. I run for many reasons, and each one of them has a name. The kids I know. Archie. Charlie. Ocasio. McKenna. Luke. David. Griffin. And the many more I don't. I run for the moms, for the dads, for the siblings. The ones I know, and the many. many more  I don't. I run as a small way to give back to an organization that does so much for so many with so much passion, energy and love.

Lauren Miller
A very thoughtful and articulate woman once said that children have the right to  "live long healthy lives. And when something interferes with that, we as a community -- we as a nation -- stand by these children with confidence that we have provided them with every possibility to beat their cancer". 

Griffin's Guardians does some really amazing fundraising to help kids beat cancer and I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a small part of the effort to make sure that kids have the resources they need to live long healthy lives. 

Carmen Mingolelli
This is the 2nd time I am running for Griffin’s Guardians in the Boilermaker Charity bib program.  I think Adam, Erin, and their family are admirable for taking a situation that negatively impacted their family and helping so many other families in their time of need.  I am so glad I can help support their mission by raising money through the charity bib program the Boilermaker runs as part of their race. 
I started running about 4 years ago when my kids participated in the Swamp Rat 1-mile fun run at Oneida Shores.  The Spera family has done such a great job supporting that race I would encourage everyone to support them too. I worked up to longer distances over a couple years and eventually ran the Boilermaker for the 1st time in 2018 and it was on the GG Charity Bib.  I don’t think I would have finished if it wasn’t for the GG pre-race pasta dinner that year ;)  While I run for my own fitness and health, I realized during the pandemic how important it was for me to have an outlet where I can clear my mind and get lost in thought while running.  I hope everyone that reads this stays healthy and safe during the pandemic and thank you if you decide to donate to Griffin’s Guardians.