ĀŅĀ׊”æÉ°® lacrosse players join Baldwin and Alison Crowther (third from right) to promote the virtual Red Bandanna 5k. Photo by Peter Julian.
This year, the finish line of the Welles Crowther Red Bandanna 5k will look a little different.
Instead of joining a sea of red and white bandannas streaming down Linden Lane, runners will complete the race anywhere they chooseāfrom neighborhood trails to basement treadmillsāas part of a new virtual format to keep everyone safe from COVID-19.Ģż
And thatās not the only change in 2020: In order to make the beloved ĀŅĀ׊”æÉ°® tradition as accessible as possible, runners can complete the race anytime between October 17-30.
āPeople can run or walk it all at once or break it up over the days,ā explained Kate Daly, associate director of the Volunteer and Service Learning Center. āWe want them to be able to participate from wherever they are.ā
Welles Remy Crowther '99
Now in its 16th year, the Red Bandanna 5k honors the memory of Welles Remy Crowther ā99, a former ĀŅĀ׊”æÉ°® lacrosse player whose heroic rescue efforts on 9/11 saved as many as 18 lives and became the subject of The Red Bandanna by ESPNās Tom Rinaldi and an award-winningĢż. Held annually on the ĀŅĀ׊”æÉ°® campus, the race has become a favorite of ĀŅĀ׊”æÉ°® students, staff, and alumni.Ģż
āPeople have traveled a long distance to come participate in this,ā said Alison Crowther, Wellesā mother. āThe spirit on campus is amazingāpeople of all ages come together to run.āĢż
Crowther is hopeful that this yearās virtual format will encourage even wider participation from individuals and organizations not local to Boston. Already, sheās spoken to administrators of schools and youth programs across the country who plan to form teams with their students, she said.Ģż
āThese are people who never became involved before, but itās a way for them to engage their students in an outdoor activity that shares Wellesā story,ā she said. āI think itās going to translate really well.ā Ģż
Junior John Athanasian, a member of the ĀŅĀ׊”æÉ°® men's lacrosse team, is looking forward to the race in its new format. Some of his favorite memories at ĀŅĀ׊”æÉ°® have come during past runs, he said.Ģż
āYou feel as if youāre taking part in something much larger than yourself, and thatās an incredible feeling,ā he said. āThe lacrosse team understands the importance of upholding Wellesās legacy, and itās something we take pride in.ā
As always, proceeds from the event will benefit the Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust, which supports organizations committed to assisting young people in becoming exemplary adults through education, health, recreation, and character development. Every year, the Welles Remy Crowther Award is presented to a ĀŅĀ׊”æÉ°® senior, with the funds going to a nonprofit of their choice.Ģż
In recent years, the Trust has partnered with the Fetzer Institute to create and launch theĢż, a set of curricula focused on character development and social and emotional learning inspired by Wellesā spirit. Developed by a team of current and former educators, the lesson plans have been adopted by schools and youth programs across the country.
Seeing the impact of her sonās legacy has been immensely gratifying for Crowther, who has traveled internationally to speak about the Red Bandanna Project. Without the Red Bandanna Run, none of it would be possible, she said.ĢżĢż
āThereās a force behind this thatās meant for good, and we just want to keep it going as best we can,ā she said. āTo the Volunteer and Service Learning Center, all the runners and donors who participate, and our major sponsors The McLaughlin Family, Aqueduct Technologies, and Rapid 7āwe are so grateful. Thank you.ā
Runners whoĢżĢżwill receive a red bandanna-themed buff, inspired by Crowtherās trademark handkerchief, as well as an official race bib that they can print at home. To document the event, participants are encouraged to share photos and videos of their run on social media using #ĀŅĀ׊”æÉ°®RedBandannaRun. Content emailed toĢżbcsocial360@gmail.comĢżwill be considered for the official race video.Ģż
Alix Hackett | University Communications | September 2020
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