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Fairfield resident Meg Capodanno, who is running her 31st marathon, will be among them.
The Sandy Hook Promise, which is based in Newtown, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent gun-related deaths due to crime, suicide and accidental discharge. It was founded and is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012.
"The tragedy really touched my life personally because it was a school shooting so close to home," said Capodanno, who is a teacher and mother of three. "I struggled to cope with my own feelings of sadness for the families, for the teachers, for Newtown and for the first-graders."
Capodanno, 48, teaches seventh grade at Roger Ludlow Middle School in Fairfield.
Her goal is to raise $5,000 for the national nonprofit. To date, she has raised over $2,800.
Since running has always been an outlet, for her 26th marathon, in recognition of the 26 lives who were lost, she mapped out a 26.2-mile route from her house to the firehouse in Sandy Hook.
"I carried with me the list of the 26 names of those who died in my pocket and would say a prayer at each mile marker," Capodanno said.
"It was really such a help to me in terms of coping and knowing that I recognized it," she said. She ran the course again the following September.
The Sandy Hook Promise was given 15 race numbers for the New York City Marathon. Through a lottery, Capodanno applied and was selected. New York was also her first marathon.
She said she is running the marathon to raise awareness of common sense gun control and mental health. "As a teacher, it's important to look out and care for each other and make sure no one is left in isolation.
"I am so proud of the work that Sandy Hook Promise has accomplished in our community, in our schools, in Hartford and in Washington D.C.," she said.
The Sandy Hook Promise has many programs to help guide conversations with kids that encourage empathy, tolerance, acceptance and also to follow their instincts -- to speak up when something doesn't seem right.
"As a teacher, I witness my colleagues work to keep kids connected; to not let students fall into a place where they do not feel there is a teacher, adult, or friend looking forward to seeing them each day at school," Capodanno said. "This reflects the work of Sandy Hook Promise.
"And certainly now, after such a difficult summer in our nation in terms of gun violence, it is vital to continue to advocate for common sense gun control and mental health reform," she said.
She wants both her children and her students to grow up with a genuine sense of security as they go about the business of being kids.
"It's humbling to be a part of this effort, brought about by parents who have endured the unspeakable but have found the strength to work for the common good," she said.
To contribute to Meg Capodanno's fundraising page, click here.
For more information on the Sandy Hook Promise, click here.
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