Saturday, November 19 might have been a cold day, but it was also a great one! Participants attended the 2022 Thanks4Giving Dash & Splash in Asbury Park and helped raise more than any other year for Special Olympics New Jersey (SONJ). We’re excited to announce that 2022 marks the highest fundraising total yet for this particular event! With help from Cool Schools Challenge, 16 Unified Champion Schools, including students and staff, competed as teams to raise funds for SONJ as well as their own school. Any Turkey Dash 5K participant that raised over $35 received 50% over that amount back to their school, and Turkey Splash plungers that raised over $100 also received 50% over that amount back to their school.
TOP FUNDRAISERS
Thanks4Giving
Bob Zoller, Sr.
(See Caroline Crush It! team)
Cool Schools Challenge
Cory Baker
(Clark Unified team)
OVERALL
Fundraiser – Paul Vicente
Team – Monroe Twp PBA #255
Congratulations to Paul Vicente and Monroe Twp PBA #255 for being the top overall fundraising individual and team!
The Turkey Dash 5K featured 483 runners and started and ended on the boardwalk in Asbury Park, while also visiting Bradley Beach and Ocean Grove.
Congratulations to the top 3 male and female finishers of the Turkey Dash:
1st Place: Silviano Juarez & Kelli Cumiskey
2nd Place: Michael McCloskey & Allyson Roesch
3rd Place: Jameson Schriber & Emma Ricigliano
After the run, 235 plungers proved they were freezin’ for a reason as they dove into the rough and cold Atlantic Ocean.
These fundraising efforts help SONJ provide training and competition opportunities in 24 sports, while offering health, wellness, athlete leadership and Unified program initiatives to thousands of athletes across the state — all completely free of charge!