Community Corner

CVS Caremark Downtown 5K Celebrates $63,500 Raised For Area Charities

CVS Hosted Annual Awards Dinner At Woonsocket HQ.

CVS honored about 150 people, including high school track coaches and runners, for volunteer work at the CVS Caremark 5K Sept. 16 and athleticism at the company's Woonsocket headquarters Thursday night.

This year the race raised $63,500 for area charities.

“We look forward to the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K every year because it attracts participants of all ages and abilities, and offers a lively and vibrant atmosphere for spectators in the heart of downtown Providence,” said Eileen Howard Boone, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications & Community Relations for CVS Caremark. “This evening’s award gathering is always very special because it allows us to connect with our charitable partners and the athletes and coaches from area schools in an intimate setting, to present them with funds needed to support athletic and physical education programs in our schools and communities.”

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The groups that received grants include: Cumberland Track Team, Tolman High School, LaSalleGirls Basketball Team, North Kingstown High School Cross Country, North Kingstown Indoor TrackTeam, East Greenwich High School, Lincoln High School, Bishop Hendricken, Chariho High School,Toll Gate High School, Attleboro Jaguars Track Club, Sentinel Striders, Civil Air Patrol, RI ScholasticLeague, RI Girls and Boys Track Association, Knights of Columbus, American Red Cross of Rhode
Island, Autism Project of Rhode Island, Johnson & Wales, A Wish Come True, Project Undercover,Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Foundation, Sean Duarte Scholarship Fund, Camp Ruggles, Exeter/West Greenwich Sports for Kids and the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. 

Schools with teams of 25 or more who participated in the day's Youth Races or High School Inspirational 3K were eligible for 10 random drawings to win a $500 grant for their physical education programs. The winners of those grants were: Barrington High School, Burrillville High School, Coventry High School, Highlander, La Salle Academy, North Smithfield High School and Middle School, the Prout School, St. Augustine Middle School and The Learning Community. 

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Another 10 $500 grants were awarded to high schools with 25 or more runners participating in the 3K. The winners of those grants were: Cumberland High School, Toll Gate High School, Smithfield High School, Lincoln HighSchool, North Kingstown High School, Cranston High School West, East Greenwich High School, Portsmouth High School, Chariho High School and Bishop Hendricken High School.

Cranston West's Charlie McLaughlin said his school's theme was a toy box motif - runners dressed as presents, and one guy whose costume featured a stabbed cereal box, making him a cereal killer. "We just had a little bit of everything," McLaughlin said.

"All the students, young men and women, should be very proud," of their spirited participation in the athletic event, said Brian Pagliaro, SVP of Sales, Marketing & Client Services of Tufts HealthPlan, co-sponsor of the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K.

Pagliaro smiled as he recounted some of the fun themed costumes each school wore for their runs: Wizard of Oz characters, elderly runners and beach bums. 

Students and adults stood at their tables as their schools were recognized for their participation to generous applause, before they enjoyed dinner including alfredo escarole, beef tips, chicken parmigiana and grilled autumn vegetables.


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