Community runs to fight leukemia and lymphoma

Runners raised funds to fight against Leukemia and Lymphoma this weekend at Baldwin Harbor Park.

The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) promoted the 11 Annual Marianne Volpe 5K and Pumpkin Fun Run on Saturday morning, October 29 at Baldwin Harbor Park located on 3232 Grand Avenue. Families and runners joined together to raise donations for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Long Island Chapter located in Melville, by participating in The Pumpkin Fun Run 9:00 a.m. and the 5K at 9:30 am.

Randy Vogt, director of public relations for the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association, said supporting blood cancer research is important to the local soccer community because of the life of Marianne Volpe. Volpe, a Baldwin resident was 56 years old in October 2011 when she died of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia — an aggressive form of blood cancer, leaving behind her husband Jim, daughters Chelsea and Shaun, three brothers, five sisters and countless friends. Vogt said there are many stories of people like Marianne Volpe, whose lives are cut tragically short by this disease.

Jim Volpe is now a Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) Hall of Famer and Chairperson of the Eastern New York Olympic Development Program — a program designed to identify and advance talented youth throughout the state — for nearly a decade. The Volpe family started the Marianne Volpe 5K and Pumpkin Fun Run the day before Hurricane Sandy hit the New York metro area in 2012 and both the soccer and since then raised over 250,000 dollars to fight debilitating and fatal diseases. 

The non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) operates from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. The association is comprised of approximately 100,000 youth soccer players — both boys and girls —and more than 25,000 volunteer. Vogt said ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. 

To donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma society, visit pages.lls.org/tnt/nyc/yourway23/jvolpe.