Over 100 runners put on their sneakers and their ugliest holiday sweaters Sunday morning for Broome County Promise Zone’s inaugural Ugly Sweater Run.
The run, co-sponsored by the College of Community and Public Affairs (CCPA), began in Lot S in front of Newing College and ended between Academic Buildings A and B. The run was a fundraiser for Promise Zone’s summer program for at-risk youth.
Broome County Promise Zone is a partnership between Binghamton University, Broome-Tioga Board of Cooperative Educational Services and Broome County Mental Health. The summer program aims to help at-risk teenagers in Johnson City, Binghamton, Whitney Point and Union-Endicott improve their attitude toward school and provide families with resources and services needed to attain success.
John Vassello, the associate director of field education and admissions for the department of social work at CCPA and a run organizer, said the ugly sweater idea had more meaning behind it than just holiday tradition.
“The ugly sweater theme fits well in the idea of accepting and appreciating everyone, regardless of what they look like and who they may be,” Vassello said. “It’s about accommodating and including everyone. The idea of ugly sweater meshes very well with the idea of community schools.”
According to Vassello, Promise Zone raised roughly $1,000 more than their $2,000 goal to fund its summer program through registration fees and donations solicited from the run.
“We [had] some money, but not enough to run these summer programs,” Vassello said.
Meredith Abel, a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, said she worked with the summer program last summer and was glad to help it run another year.
“It was an amazing experience,” Abel said. “I had to come support the next year of it. I’m so impressed by everyone’s outfits and enthusiasm to come, plus I need some cardio.”
For those who forgot their ugly sweaters at home, “ugly sweater” shirts commemorating the year with a green “ugly” design were available for purchase.
Participants who came in the most heinous of Christmas sweaters did not go unnoticed. The first, second and third “ugliest” sweater were awarded with a hand-sewn ugly sweater “medal,” a certificate and gift cards to Cyber Cafe West and Charging Star Comics.
While students Rachel Kuhl and Joseph Jackson finished as the first female and male runner-up, respectively, Amber Kida, a member of the Binghamton community, outfitted with pictures of Santa Claus, reindeer and holiday ribbons, won the ugliest sweater competition. Many participants were wearing sweaters that they had hand decorated with patches, ribbons, bows and pom-poms.
The race attracted not only University students, but families and community members from throughout Broome County. Natasha Moore was one of the many attendees who brought along her whole family, including her two dogs, to the event.
“I thought this would be a fun event to bring the family to,” Moore said. “It brings the community together in the ugliest of apparel to support an amazing cause during the holiday season.”
Maria Murphy, one of the event’s organizers who works at Lourdes Hospital, said she thought the ugly sweater theme was a creative and unique way to bring together the community during the holiday time.
“We haven’t seen an ugly sweater run here so we thought, why not,” Murphy said. “It’s a fun way to get people together, running together, keeping warm and raising some money and recognition for a really great program.”