O’Donnell 5K Race to Cure ALS August 11

Published in the August 5, 2019 edition

MELROSE — Runners are signing up for the 5th Annual Mary O’Donnell 5K Race to Cure ALS that will be held on Sunday, August 11 at Pine Banks Park in Melrose. Proceeds from the race will benefit The Angel Fund for ALS Research and the ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) research at UMass Medical School.

The race will be held in memory of Mary O’Donnell of Melrose, a devoted wife and mother who lost her courageous four-year battle to ALS on November 1, 2014 at the age of 51.

Registration for the August 11 event begins at 8 a.m. with a 9 a.m. race time. The registration fee is $30.

Advance registration can be made online at www.theangelfund.org or at Marathon Sports, 401 Main Street, Melrose.

Online registrations must be received by August 9 or you may pre-register at Marathon Sports in Melrose on Saturday the 10th from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. or register at the race on August 11th. T-shirts will be provided and awards will be presented to the top male and female finishers. The top finishers in the following age groups will also receive awards: 14 and under; 15 –19; 20-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; 60-69; 70-plus; and wheelchair division. Donations to the race can also be made by mail by sending a check made payable to The Angel Fund/Mary O’Donnell 5K Race, and mail to: The Angel Fund for ALS Research, 649 Main Street, Wakefield, MA 01880.

Following the race, there will be an ice bucket challenge for all to participate in. Bring your bucket!

About Mary O’Donnell

Born in Boston and raised in Belmont, Mary Pomer O’Donnell was the sixth of 12 children of Frank A. Pomer and Margaret (Flatley) Pomer. Mary graduated from Belmont High School in 1981 and received her bachelor of science degree from The College of The Holy Cross in 1985 and her law degree from Suffolk University in 1994. She married Bill O’Donnell on June 9, 1990 and they made their home in Melrose.

Mary was a homemaker who took great pride in taking care of her family. She was the devoted and loving mother to her five children, Tom, Jim, Matt, Luke and Maria. She enjoyed going to the beach, was a person who enjoyed the simpler things in life and never took anything for granted. She cherished the quiet times with her husband and enjoyed attending all the activities that her children were involved in whether it be school functions or sporting events.