On Monday, April 17, the Marathon returns to Boston! This year, the City of Newton awarded The Second Step a charity bib, which will be proudly worn by Charlestown resident Emily Cummings. Emily and her wife, Kelly Whittaker-Cummings, a Boston qualifier, are raising funds in support of our life-saving work.
We sent Emily a few questions so we could get to know her better. Check it out!
Where are you from?
“I grew up in Andover, MA and have lived in Charlestown for the last 10 years!”
What do you do for work?
“I am a VP Sales at Halo Branded Solutions—I basically get to shop for a living and put logos on really cool stuff!”
What got you interested in running? How long have you been running?
“I ran my first half marathon in 2016 to raise money for a friend who was battling brain cancer. Until then I had only ever run 1 5k—I haven’t stopped running since!”
Why the Boston Marathon?
“In college, I played softball at Merrimack and my coach ran the marathon my sophomore year. Our whole team came into the city to cheer her on—it was the first time I had ever witnessed a marathon. I remember being at the “1 mile left” marker in Fenway and thinking WOW, these people are truly unbelievable. Ever since it has been something I would love to be able to be a part of—and to run on the 10th anniversary of the Boston bombings makes it even more special.”
Why did you choose to raise funds to support The Second Step?
“The Second Step is an organization that is making such an incredible difference for those who are truly in need. My goal is to not only raise as much money as possible but help spread awareness as far as possible of The Second Step so that the fundraising and support keep going far beyond the marathon finish line.”
Follow Emily and Kelly at @mle_21 and @kjw227 on Instagram to support their run to Boston!
Donate to Emily’s fundraising efforts here!
