March 18, 2019

Mater Dolorosa volunteers provide pre-race services for St. Patrick’s runners

REGIONAL
Story and photos by Nick Morganelli

Mater Dolorosa School volunteers included (left to right) Matthew Gorde, Ana Fedora, Kelsey Brainard, Alaina Deliz, and Nora Balicki.

HOLYOKE – Temperatures in the mid-40s with sun and clouds and a moderate breeze was more than participants could ask for as they walked or ran the 44th annual Holyoke St. Patrick’s Road Race on Saturday, March 16.

They can always count on one school’s help in the hours prior to the 1 p.m. start time.

The Road Race Committee coordinates with the Mater Dolorosa School because of its location just a few hundred feet from the starting line. Their volunteers provide a great service. Runners can keep warm, check-in their belongings, and even have a snack.

Lisa Balicki, the current PTO communications coordinator for Mater Dolorosa School previously served as PTO president for three years. She has two students enrolled at the school: Nora who is one of the volunteers in the photo and Eoin who is in third grade.

Balicki is in her sixth year as coordinator of the runner’s center and organizes volunteers of all ages. She said, “It takes an army. We generally need between forty and sixty people to run this event successfully. Our eighth-graders are awesome! The ones that are here have been doing this with me for all six years. “

She mentioned the many jobs involved, such as writing bib numbers on bags for valuables, running those bags to designated areas on the gymnasium floor, preparing food and managing the snack bar, keeping track of the financials, and parking vehicles.

Conventual Franciscan Father Albert Scherer, pastor of Our Lady of the Cross Parish in Holyoke, was wearing his orange bib as he directed runners where to park. One hundred percent of funds raised from donations, parking fees, and food sales is designated for the student endowment fund for education.

For more information on the school, its endowment, and educational programs, visit the website at materdolorosaschool.org or call (413)532-2831.

A video version of this story will be featured on an upcoming edition of “Real to Reel,” which airs Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. on WWLP-22NEWS and in the Berkshires Sunday mornings at 5:30 on Albany’s Fox 23, WXXA.