BMW Dallas Marathon Kicks Off 49th Race Weekend with $80,000 Donation for Scottish Rite for Children
(DALLAS) – The 2019 BMW Dallas Marathon weekend experience kicked off this morning, bringing together representatives from the race’s primary beneficiary, Scottish Rite for Children and title sponsor, BMW of North America and the Dallas-Fort Worth Area BMW Centers: Autobahn BMW Fort Worth, BMW of Arlington, BMW of Dallas, BMW of Grapevine and Classic BMW of Plano.
The BMW Dallas Marathon presented Scottish Rite for Children with a check for $80,000 to help fund the hospital’s programs. Since Scottish Rite for Children was named the Dallas Marathon’s primary beneficiary in 1997, the marathon has raised more than $4 million for the hospital.
“We are fortunate to be able to use our position in the Dallas community alongside BMW to support a world-class medical facility like Scottish Rite for Children that provides such awe-inspiring services and programs to children across the region,” says runDallas President, Paul Lambert. “We are continuously impressed with the impact they make on the lives of their patients and families, and are proud to be a part of that each year.”
Five patient champions, led by Jr. Race Director, 14-year-old Martine of Burnett, Texas, were recognized by Mark G. Bateman, Senior Vice President of Public Relations at Scottish Rite for Children, for their courage and resilience. Martine and the patient champions will be cheering on participants throughout the weekend.
“The BMW Dallas Marathon has helped make a tremendous impact for our hospital in our 20-plus years of partnership, both in funding and awareness,” says Bateman. “We are very thankful for the marathon’s long-term support and are looking forward to what the weekend has in store.”
In a telling display of partnership and for the second year in a row, BMW has wrapped vehicles with artwork from patients at the Scottish Rite for Children. Revealed in September kicking off a test-drive fundraising campaign, this artwork is a product of Scottish Rite for Children’s one-of-a-kind art therapy program offered to its patients and their families funded in part by the Dallas Marathon.
“As the title sponsor for the Dallas Marathon, BMW takes great pride in being part of Dallas’ most cherished traditions,” says Kevin Wells, BMW Southern Regional Dallas Area Manager. “We are excited to host more than 20,000 participants and 100,000 spectators in the next three days for this year’s race weekend.”
The press conference also featured remarks from Mark Philips, local radio host of 99.5 The Wolf, who will be the Dallas Marathon’s “Last Man Running” for the full marathon on Sunday, Dec. 15. Philips will be raising one dollar – matched by sponsor Andrew’s Distributing – for every person he passes during the race, with proceeds going directly to Scottish Rite for Children. Live updates on Philip’s progress can be made available by request.
Weekend Events
Friday, Dec. 13 holds the Health and Fitness Expo at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, where participants, friends and family can collect information and merchandise from running, fitness and health-related vendors, and children can play in the kids’ zone. Admission into the expo is free and runs through Saturday.
Following the Expo is the Friday Night Lights Mile, new for 2019! With over 10 different heats for seniors, kids, elite runners, and even those in costume, this mile-long race will be a highlight of the weekend open to any who want to participate, with a $29 registration per person donated to Scottish Rite Hospital.
Saturday’s portfolio of events will include the two-mile walk, 5K, 10K and a series of new family races for children 12 and under featuring the 100m dash, 400m dash, 800m dash and 1-mile race. A one-time $10 registration fee grants children –and their parents- access to one of the four races and includes a t-shirt and participation medal.
Sunday’s much anticipated race course for the Half Marathon, Full Marathon, Ultra, and Relay will begin and end in Downtown Dallas and will highlight the best areas of the city. Along the way, runners will pass through various popular neighborhoods with exciting cheer stations and on-course entertainment before finishing the race at Dallas City Hall Plaza.
For more information about the BMW Dallas Marathon’s 49th running, please visit rundallas.com. For unique story opportunities throughout the weekend, please contact Kelly Miller at Kelly.Miller@hck2.com or at (941) 713-0082.
About runDallas
runDallas promotes health and physical fitness through running events and related activities. It will oversee several iconic events in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including the marquee event, the BMW Dallas Marathon, as well as the Oncor Mayor’s Race, Five on the 4th, Dallas Corporate 5K and BMW 5K Social Runs. runDallas will raise funds and provide a marketing platform for several major non-profit organizations in the North Texas area, including Scottish Rite for Children, YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Dallas Independent School District, and several other local and national charities. runDallas will serve as an agent to bring those of all ages and fitness levels together in the spirit of health and physical fitness. For more information, please visit rundallas.com.
BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; Designworks, a strategic design consultancy based in California; technology offices in Silicon Valley and Chicago, and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is the BMW Group global center of competence for BMW X models and manufactures the X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 348 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 147 BMW motorcycle retailers, 121 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
About Scottish Rite for Children Scottish Rite for Children is one of the nation’s leading pediatric centers specializing in muscles, joints and bones. The world-renowned specialists treat a wide range of orthopedic conditions, including sports injuries and fractures, as well as certain arthritic, neurological and learning disorders, such as dyslexia. Patients receive treatment regardless of the family’s ability to pay. For more information about services available at the Dallas or Frisco campus, visit scottishritehospital.org.
# # #