Published in the August 9, 2018 edition

MELROSE — Runners and walkers are getting ready for the 4th Annual Mary O’Donnell 5K Race to Cure ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) which will be held on Sunday, August 12 at Pine Banks Park in Melrose. Proceeds from the race will benefit The Angel Fund for ALS Research and its research at the Cecil B. Day Laboratory for Neuromuscular Research at UMass Medical Center.

The race will be held in memory of Mary O’Donnell of Melrose, a devoted wife and mother who lost her courageous four-year battle to ALS on November 1, 2014 at the age of 51.

Registration for the August 12 event begins at 8 a.m. with a 9 a.m. race time. The registration fee is $30.

Advanced registration can be made online at www.theangelfund.org or at Marathon Sports, 401 Main Street, Melrose.

Registrations must be received by August 10 online or you may pre-register at Marathon Sports in Melrose on Saturday, August 11 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. or register at the race on August 12. T-shirts will be provided and awards will be presented to the top three male and female finishers. The top three finishers in the following age groups will also receive awards: 14 and under; 15 –19; 20-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; 60-69; 70-plus; and wheelchair division. Donations to the race can also be made by mail by sending a check made payable to The Angel Fund/Mary O’Donnell 5K Race, and mail to: The Angel Fund for ALS Research, 649 Main Street, Wakefield, MA 01880.

Following the race, there will be an ice bucket challenge for all to participate in. Bring your bucket.

About Mary O’Donnell

Born in Boston and raised in Belmont, Mary Pomer O’Donnell was the sixth of 12 children of Frank A. Pomer and Margaret (Flatley) Pomer. Mary graduated from Belmont High School in 1981 and received her bachelor of science degree from The College of The Holy Cross in 1985 and her Law Degree from Suffolk University in 1994. She married Bill O’Donnell on June 9, 1990 and they made their home in Melrose.

Mary was a homemaker who took great pride in taking care of her family. She was the devoted and loving mother to her five children, Tom, Jim, Matt, Luke and Maria. She enjoyed going to the beach, was a person who enjoyed the simpler things in life and never took anything for granted. She cherished the quiet times with her husband and enjoyed attending all the activities that her children were involved in whether it be school functions or sporting events.