Tallahassee to Jacksonville marathon series Freed to Run 6.0 set for Nov. 14-19
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As Gunster shareholder Mike Freed prepares for his sixth annual Tallahassee-to-Jacksonville Freed to Run trek Nov. 14-19, he is counting on the support of a group of community leaders to take his namesake event across its ultimate fundraising finish line of $2.25 million.
With $1.9 million raised to date, Freed to Run 6.0 needs $350,000 in additional contributions to fully endow the Northeast Florida Medical Legal Partnership and enable Jacksonville Area Legal Aid to provide free legal aid to qualifying pediatric patients and their families in perpetuity. All donations are matched at 125% by Baptist Health Jacksonville, up to a total of $1.25 million, so if other sponsors and donors can come up with $155,000, Baptist would contribute the remaining $193,750, enabling Freed to Run to reach the endowment goal.
Four community leaders representing the business, legal and healthcare sectors are helping Freed generate support as event co-chairs. They are charged with attracting sponsors, donors and marathon relay teams, who will in turn seek donations.
Freed to Run co-chair Alex Jenkins is a third-generation Jacksonville native and a shareholder of NestEggs Retirement Planning Services. He is as passionate about running as he is about serving his community, and he regards Freed as a mentor and friend.
“As a young father, the mission of Freed to Run and the tangible impact it has on area children touched me deeply,” Jenkins said. “NestEggs has supported the event for a few years now, and I am looking very forward to having a more hands-on role in 2022.”
Co-chairs Dan Bean and Mike Abel of Abel Bean Law are also long-time Freed to Run supporters.
“Abel Bean Law has been a proud supporter and active running participant of the Freed to Run since ABL’s creation in 2018,” they said. “We believe in the mission of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid and are proud to support it.”
Oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Stephanie Reeder of Reeder & Cherry Oral Surgery joined the effort this year as co-chair in order to raise awareness in the healthcare community. She has been practicing professionally in Jacksonville since 2012 and is the Chief of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at Baptist Medical Center.
“Freed to Run will enable JALA to provide generations of pediatric patients and their families with the legal assistance they need by permanently endowing the Northeast Florida Medical Legal Partnership. As both a physician and dentist, I am proud to support this one-of-a-kind event, and I invite both the medical and dental communities to join me.”
To donate, or to learn more about corporate sponsorships or forming a team, visit: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/ftr6/
About Jacksonville Area Legal Aid
The mission of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. is to obtain and provide high-quality legal assistance to
low-income and other special-need groups and to stimulate and empower groups of poor people to
accomplish energetic and affirmative advocacy, all to alleviate the circumstances, incidence and causes
of poverty.
About the Northeast Florida Medical Legal Partnership
The Northeast Florida Medical Legal Partnership is part of a nationwide network of projects in which professionals from the medical and legal communities combine resources to produce outcomes for low-income and vulnerable patients (children and adults) that positively impact their health and ability to thrive. Through the partnership, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid serves about 200 children a year, including patients of Wolfson Children’s Hospital, Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville, UF Health Specialty Pediatric Clinics, and Community PedsCare®, a pediatric program of Community Hospice & Palliative Care.
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