CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine (July 26,2022)—The TD Beach to Beacon 10K has added a new event to make the excitement of race weekend accessible to everyone, no matter their abilities.

The inaugural Beacon Walk, Run, Roll, developed in partnership with 2022 race beneficiary The Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness, will begin on Friday, August 5 at 5:00 PM at Fort Williams Park. The 4/10-mile course will start at the TD Beach to Beacon 10K finish line, follow the course in reverse along a paved path and end at the finish line of the kids’ race, which takes place later that same evening.

“We are excited to partner with TD Beach to Beacon’s organizers to make the excitement of this iconic race accessible to all,” said Susan Greenwood, executive director of The Cromwell Center. “Like the race’s title sponsor TD Bank, we are all about focusing on what people can do, and this new event celebrates that idea.”

Ken Shapiro, board member for The Cromwell Center, embodies this concept. Shapiro was diagnosed with a cerebral aneurysm in 2010; the day after surgery to remove the aneurysm, he experienced a stroke that has left him with limited use of his left side. “I had to re-evaluate my priorities – inspiring me to support my newfound disability community — and that led me to The Cromwell Center,” said Shapiro.

Shapiro believes strongly in the importance of destigmatizing disability early on, which is at the heart of The Cromwell Center’s work. “There’s no shame in disability,” he said. Shapiro plans to participate in the TD Beach to Beacon 10K and is hoping to use his modified recumbent tricycle, which Maine Adaptive introduced him to, alongside the wheelchair racers.

“The TD Beach to Beacon 10K has always been about community,” said Debra Maxfield, Director of Advancement at  Maine Adaptive and coordinator of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K wheelchair division. “Making our event more inclusive and for people of all abilities helps deepen our connection to the community that has supported us all these years. We are thankful to The Cromwell Center, our beneficiary, for helping us conceive the Beacon Walk, Run,Roll, which we hope to make an annual part of race weekend.”

To register for the new event please click here.

About The Cromwell Center for Disabilities Awareness

The Cromwell Center is the only provider of disabilities awareness, sensitivity, inclusion, and anti-bullying programs in Maine schools. In fact, they are the only organization in the U.S. that takes this hands-on, personalized, interactive, classroom-based approach to improving understanding, respect, and inclusion. So far, they have partnered with 220 Maine schools and 8,000 classrooms, and in the 2019 school year alone delivered face-to-face programming to 16,135 students in 92 schools.

The Cromwell Center’s programs include:

Respecting ABILITIES: A classroom-based program for grades 1-6 designed to build sensitivity and understanding, reduce bullying and create more inclusive schools and communities. This program is offered at no cost to Maine schools, and is delivered in person by a Cromwell Center program leader or through a curriculum kit that provides schools with:

A comprehensive, detailed, scripted lesson plan for each grade

• All supplies and materials needed to carry out the activities
• Video book-readings and activities
• Books and posters for each school
• Follow up activities and resources for families
• Resources and information for educators

Building Kinder Communities: A disabilities awareness and sensitivity training

program for adults including parents/guardians and school staff. These interactive

sessions help adults have positive conversations with kids about disabilities,

model positive attitudes and language, and help children be more supportive and

respectful.

To learn more about The Cromwell Center’s programs, visit www.cromwellcenter.org.

About the TD Beach to Beacon 10K

The TD Beach to Beacon 10K draws runners from New England and throughout the world to picturesque Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The race begins on Route 77 near the Crescent Beach State Park entrance, winds along tree-lined streets and past breathtaking ocean vistas and ends in Fort Williams Park at historic Portland Head Light, the most photographed lighthouse in the world.

In 2019, the 22nd running of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K included 6,417 finishers from nine countries, 42 states, and almost 260 Maine cities and towns. Thousands of spectators cheered runners along the route and at the finish, and more than 800 volunteers helped ensure a smooth operation. In 2021, more than 2,000 runners participated in the first-ever Virtual TD Beach to Beacon 10K. The race debuted in 1998 with 2,408 runners crossing the finish line.

More than $90,000 in prize money is awarded to the top finishers and place winners in various categories for men and women, and a separate $30,000 donation is provided to a designated beneficiary each year by TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®.

With its combined focus on sustainability and charitable donations, the TDB2B10K exemplifies TD Bank’s longstanding commitment to community enrichment through The Ready Commitment, a multi-year platform that actively promotes inclusivity, economic vitality, environmental well-being, and health, and increases opportunities for people of all backgrounds to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Through this platform, TD Bank aspires to create a more inclusive tomorrow—helping people of all backgrounds feel more confident, not just about their finances, but about their ability to achieve their goals.

For additional information about the race, visit www.beach2beacon.org, and find the TD Beach to Beacon 10K on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Media Contact: Angie Helton at 207-653-0365 or angie@nemediaassociates.com.

About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank^® 

TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing over 9.7 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,100 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth^®, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.td.com/us. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US and www.twitter.com/TDNews_US.  

  

TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol “TD”. To learn more, visit www.td.com/us.