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Del Vecchio, founder of the Run for Hope Foundation, made his first 9/11 Remembrance Run last year, then followed it with one of more than 100 miles this May to help victims of Hurricane Sandy.
The money raised on Wednesday will benefit Tuesday’s Children, the Semper Fi Fund and Emergency Responders.
Tuesday’s Children supports the “living memorials”: children and families of those killed, as well as first responders who survived. It emphasizes community, connecting with others, which helps those affected heal. Programs include confidential mental health and counseling services to all 9/11 families and first responders, including their spouses and children.
DONATE: www.runforhopefoundation.org
The run begins at the duck pond in Ridgewood around 9 a.m., then winds its way through Maywood, Hackensack, Bogota, Ridgfield Park, Leonia and, finally, Fort Lee, before crossing the George Washington Bridge and heading south on the path along the Hudson River to the 9/11 memorial.
Del Vecchio will have a small convoy riding alongside him on Wednesday, including Ridgewood Police Chief John Ward and Bogota Police Chief John Burke — both avid bicyclists — especially for the stretch run along the West Side Highway heading south.
Last year’s 9/11 Remembrance Run took Del Vecchio 5 hours, 5 minutes, and raised $10,000.
“The last five miles were a little rough. From the waist down, everything hurts,” Del Vecchio told CLIFFVIEW PILOT. “But it was worth it,” the chief said. “It was absolutely beautiful.”
He used a simple approach to keep him going.
“Every mile I dedicated to someone I know or whose family I knew who were affected,” he said.
Nearly all were from Fairview or his native Ridgewood, which lost a dozen residents.
“The main cause is so that people will remember,” Del Vecchio said. “I’m afraid some are beginning to forget.
“It’s always important to remember those 3,000 victims and try to support their families,” the chief said.
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