Tunnel to Towers 5K returns to Canonsburg this fall
By Melone Advertising Group, courtesy of Tunnel to Towers Pittsburgh
By Melone Advertising Group, courtesy of Tunnel to Towers Pittsburgh
By Melone Advertising Group, courtesy of Tunnel to Towers Pittsburgh
By Melone Advertising Group, courtesy of Tunnel to Towers Pittsburgh
By Melone Advertising Group, courtesy of Tunnel to Towers Pittsburgh
The Tunnel to Towers 5K will be held again in Canonsburg on Sept. 9, starting at 8 a.m.
Last year was a massive success, with Canonsburg raising over $100,000 to benefit first responders and military families, said Tony Colaizzo with Tunnel to Towers Pittsburgh.
“Last year, the successful event raised over $106,000 of which over $90,000 was cash,” he said. “We had $15,000 in-kind contributions. We were fortunate to have 500 event participants that walked or ran the course. More than 20 percent were young people under the age of 18.”
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is a non-profit organization that helps provide mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children by building custom-designed homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders.
“The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is committed to ensuring we never forget 9/11, the sacrifices made, and those that continue to be made by our first responders and military in the line of duty,” Colaizzo said.
Through the Fallen First Responder Home Program, Tunnel to Towers aims to pay off the mortgages of fallen law enforcement officers and firefighters who lose their lives in the line of duty or to 9/11-related illnesses and leave behind young children. The foundation aims to ensure stability and security for these families facing sudden, tragic loss.
The Smart Home Program supports building mortgage-free homes for most catastrophically injured veterans and first responders, designed to address the unique needs of each individual.
The Gold Star Family Home Program is similar to the Fallen First Responder Program in that it provides mortgage-free homes for the families of service members that give the ultimate sacrifice.
“Their primary programs are to pay off mortgages for first responders who are killed in the line of duty so that their families have a place to live, and secondly, they build smart homes for injured military veterans that need customized homes to make their life as normal as possible,” Colaizzo said.
The newest program is the Tunnel to Towers 9/11 Institute.
“This program is the go-to resource for educators of all types to get non-fiction, first-person resources they need to teach children across the country about the events on Sept. 11, 2001,” Colaizzo said. “We wanted to engage young people with first responders and military personnel to increase understanding and improve the perception of the groups, and we wanted to have a place to have a little bit of fun, show our local support and raise some money for the organization.”
Colaizzo said this would be the second time the Tunnel to Towers 5K will be held in downtown Canonsburg at Memorial Stadium at 1 N. Jefferson Ave.
“That’s where it starts and finishes,” he said.
Colaizzo said the response from the Canonsburg community has been positive in support of Tunnel to Towers.
“It’s a wonderful testament to the strength of the community to come out and participate as they did, from a financial point of view as well as the participation point of view,” he said. “Their participation mattered.”
Colaizzo said they are expanding the types of displays featured for this year’s Tunnels to Towers 5K.
“This year will have displays from the FBI, the state police, local fire, police, as well as last year we had an Army display and the Air Force display,” he said.” “We’re working to grow that more so that they (public) could go in and talk to these groups and understand what their role is, and the good that they do and inspire some to maybe even participate.”
Colaizzo said he is hoping to get more participation for this year’s event.
“We need first responders and the military to participate,” he said. “The same goes for youth groups. Getting our young people engaged and having an opportunity to show support is a good way to model great behavior. Teams of any and all youth groups, sports, scouts, and church groups, just to name a few, will all benefit and have a great time. So please accept our invitation to be a part of a very special opportunity.”
For more information about the Tunnel to Towers 5K, visit runsignup.com/Race/PA/Canonsburg/TunneltoTowers5KRunWalkPittsburghPA.