sandy hook foundation recieves $3,000 from jersey shore half marathon runners!

​November, 2022 - The Sandy Hook Foundation, the Official Friends Group of the National Park Service at Gateway National Recreation Area, Sandy Hook Unit, was pleased to be named the official Charity Partner of the 2022 Jersey Shore Half Marathon. The race took place on Sunday, October 2 on Sandy Hook and was produced by the Shore Athletic Club (Shore A.C.), with support from the National Park Service at Sandy Hook. In total, $3,000 in donations were collected from over 20% of race participants, and the Shore A.C. recently presented a check to Foundation President Patricia Alcaro. During registration, participants had the option to make a tax-deductible donation to The Sandy Hook Foundation in support of the Foundation’s work within the park.

"The Foundation is delighted that our work and efforts to support the park have been embraced by the 2022 Jersey Shore Half Marathon and the Shore Athletic Club. Our hope is that improvements to the park, funded by the Foundation, such as the water refill stations along the route, complement events such as these at Sandy Hook," says Alcaro. “We were honored to be able to work together with National Park Service staff and the Sandy Hook Foundation to put on the race again this year,” said race co-director Joe Compagni. “It was important to us as a club that we connect the race to the community and to all the great work that the Sandy Hook Foundation does.”

Despite monsoon-like conditions, nearly 1,000 runners came out and braved the elements while running through the multiple eco-systems in the park. At the finish line, dozens of family, friends and well-wishers waited with ponchos and umbrellas to cheer on the racers. Sandy Hook provides a vast menu of resources for all park visitors, including outdoor sports and recreation enthusiasts; naturalists eager to discover abundant flora and fauna; history buffs revisiting the Army’s activities and impact at Fort Hancock (a National Historic Landmark); and all those who love the miles of ocean and bayside beaches. The Foundation plays an important role supporting programs and projects that make visitors’ experiences better. There is no better way to showcase all Sandy Hook has to offer than an event that winds its way throughout the 2,044 acre peninsula.

​For more information about The Sandy Hook Foundation, please visit https://www.sandyhooknj.org or call 732-291-7733. For more information about the Shore Athletic Club, please visit https://www.shoreac.org/#/