McIntosh is declared official apple of TCS New York City Marathon; NYAA runners ask for charity donations

Fishers, N.Y. – New York state McIntosh apples have been declared the official apple of the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon, and apple fans are being asked to donate to select local charities as part of the New York apple industry’s sponsorship.

New York Apple Association (NYAA) has sponsored the New York City Marathon on the New York state apple industry’s behalf since 1998.

Apple industry-sponsored runners raising funds for worthy causes

This year’s 15 NYAA-sponsored runners include Rochester firefighters Ted Kuppinger and Thomas Szatko, and New York State Troopers Steve Mowers and Jason Mulcahy.

Four runners work in the fresh produce industry: Walter Campo of grocer Nicholas Markets Foodtown in Hawthorne, N.J.; Tenley Allen and Rob Ranieri of Fresh Direct in Long Island City; and Robert Guenther of United Fresh Produce Association of Washington, D.C.

NYAA’s sponsored runners are raising funds for charities of their choice, including:

  • local, regional and national food banks;
  • a local animal shelter and a humane society;
  • the state’s Special Olympics organization;
  • local and international health causes, including a group working to address the ebola crisis in Africa; and
  • an international ocean conservation group.

As of October 15, NYAA’s 15 sponsored runners have already raised $7,824. From 1998-2013, NYAA sponsored 146 runners.

“Our civic-minded runners have committed to raising charitable funds as part of their marathon participation, and they have selected a broad range of causes that are worthy of support,” said NYAA President Jim Allen.

To learn more about the runners’ charities and to donate, visit NYAA’s CrowdRise fundraising page at www.crowdrise.com/applecountrynycmarathon2014. Learn more about CrowdRise’s entertaining genesis at www.crowdrise.com/about.

NYAA’s sponsorship includes providing apples

Fundraising is just one of the ways that NYAA is celebrating this year’s TCS New York City Marathon. As a Supporting Sponsor, the association will also provide 88,440 McIntosh apples for the event. The apples will be distributed to TCS New York City Marathon finishers on Nov. 2, as well as at the Poland Spring Marathon Kick-off on Oct. 26, the NYRR Run With Champions on Oct. 30, and the NYRR Dash to the Finish Line 5K and the Marathon Eve Dinner both on Nov. 1.

“Apples are great for refueling after a run or other exercise, and McIntosh is probably our best-known homegrown variety,” said NYAA’s Allen. “McIntosh and the Marathon go together like hand and glove, or let’s say foot and running shoe.”

NYAA is encouraging participants to “Munch a McIntosh” by supplying apples, and by advertising in the race’s runner handbook, check-in goodie bag, event program and race results edition. To follow NYAA’s marathon-related activities, like the association’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/nyapples.

“This is a win-win-win situation for everybody – we get to give back to our community, support a healthy event and talk up our state’s great apples at the same time,” said Allen.

Note to editors:

Pictures from NYAA’s sponsorship of the 2013 New York City Marathon can be downloaded from NYAA’s Flickr page.

About the TCS New York City Marathon

The TCS New York City Marathon is the most popular and inclusive marathon in the world, attracting the world’s top professional athletes and a vast range of recreational runners. The race began in 1970 with just 127 entrants racing four laps of Central Park. Today, an estimated 50,000 runners from around the world tour New York City’s five boroughs, starting on Staten Island at the foot of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and finishing in Central Park. Participants include Olympians, Paralympians, wheelchair racers, top age-group competitors, and many thousands who run for charity and to achieve their own personal goals. Millions of fans cheer the runners from the streets and watch the global television broadcast. The race is part of the World Marathon Majors, an alliance of the world’s six biggest marathons that determines each year’s top male and top female marathoner. The TCS New York City Marathon is the premier event of New York Road Runners, the world’s foremost community running organization, whose mission is to help and inspire people through running. Tata Consultancy Services, a leading global IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization, is the Premier Partner of NYRR and is in its inaugural year as title sponsor of the TCS New York City Marathon.