Step Up for Colleen 5K Pre-Race Registration and Packet Pickup Available

The second annual Step Up for Colleen 5K in memory of Colleen Ritzer will be held on Sunday, May 3 in Andover.

PRE-RACE DAY REGISTRATION AND PACKET PICKUP:

The fee to register is $35. Registration is available from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, May 1, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 2 at the Andover Spine Center/Chiropractic office, Park Street Village, 63 Park St., 2nd Floor, Andover.

RACE DAY REGISTRATION:

On Sunday, May 3, registration will be held from 7 to 8:45 a.m. in the Doherty Middle School cafeteria, 50 Bartlet St. Cash, or checks made payable to ECCF/Step Up for Colleen Fund are preferred, but credit cards will also be accepted.

Save time! Click here to download a registration form. Please complete and bring with you to the in-person registration.

Proceeds from the event will support the Step Up for Colleen Fund at Essex County Community Foundation, which benefits the Colleen E. Ritzer Scholarship Fund. The scholarships are awarded to high school graduates who pursue education as a major and reflect Colleen’s values.

“Last year’s Step Up for Colleen not only provided an opportunity for thousands in the community to come together to remember Colleen, but it also raised resources to provide scholarships for caring and compassionate future teachers graduating from Andover and Danvers,” said the Ritzer family in a news release.. “As Colleen’s parents, brother and sister, we cannot begin to express our sincere gratitude to those who participated in last year’s race. It was a reminder of the many lives Colleen touched or changed. We look forward to the sea of pink ascending Bartlet Street as the community once again ‘Steps Up for Colleen’.”

Some 4,000 registrants participated in the inaugural Step Up for Colleen 5K.

“The 2014 event exceeded all expectations,” says race director Nina Caron, who expects a similar turnout of runners and walkers this weekend.

This year’s race features several enhancements, including a USA Track and Field certified course and youth-sized shirts.

Details about the Step Up for Colleen 5K are available at www.stepupforcolleen.com. The website features information about Colleen Ritzer, an online volunteer sign-up page, and a video of the race course. The site also features a ‘social wall’ that collects and shares the reasons why individuals have decided to #StepUpforColleen. The purpose of the wall is to allow participants a forum to inspire others to #StepUpforColleen.

About Colleen Ritzer

Colleen Ritzer, a lifelong resident of Andover, passed away on October 22, 2013. She was a 2007 graduate of Andover High School and a 2011 graduate of Assumption College. Colleen was pursuing a graduate degree at Salem State College and was a math teacher at Danvers High School. She adored spending time with her family and friends, and was an amazing daughter and big sister to her brother and sister, Daniel and Laura. She left a lasting impression on everyone she met. From a young age, Colleen knew she wanted to be a teacher and worked diligently to achieve her goal. Even though teaching was her profession, it was also one of her favorite hobbies and her passion. She spent countless hours finding unique and creative ways to inspire and teach her students.

About the Step Up for Colleen Fund

The Step Up for Colleen Fund supports charitable activities that honor the legacy of Colleen Ritzer, including the Colleen E. Ritzer Scholarship Fund, which benefits Andover and Danvers High School seniors who demonstrate a passion for teaching, academic excellence, and love of family.