A few Buzzards Bay Coalition staffers were meeting at our Marion office for a training run on the Monday after the July 4 holiday weekend. These committed folks gather for training runs out of Marion or sometimes our Woods Hole office, both of which offer scenic roads on which to log a few miles as the sun is waning in the sky and the temps are dropping.
Lilia Bartolotta is one of our Bay Science research assistants. She has been with the Coalition for two years, and this is her first time running the FRR. Her mother was a running coach, and mom’s joy of running rubbed off on her. Lilia ran cross country years ago in high school. She has recently been running some half marathons (New York City and Cape Cod) and 10-milers (Portland and Newport) with mom. “I want to do well,” says Bartolotta. “I want to ring the PR bell.”
"Through my work in the coastal areas of the Buzzards Bay Watershed, I've come to understand how unique this ecosystem is, and how important our work is in protecting it. From our River and Herring monitoring to our nutrient and dissolved oxygen research, our work is integral in understanding this complex system and better preserving it for future generations," says Bartolotta.
Reece Thompson is one of our summer water quality research interns. He hails from California, but just finished his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama. Reece has done a number of triathlons including a half-Ironman in Morrow Bay, California. “I have never run a race for a time,” he says. “I have always done races just to finish.” He says he has been training for months and looks forward to putting up a respectable time. He says he is proud to not only work for the Coalition this summer, but to support its mission in this special way, too.
"This summer is actually my second summer working on the COMBB (Continuous Oxygen Monitoring in Buzzards Bay) project," says Thompson. "Alongside having a great experience working with everyone on the COMBB team, I really loved the Bay Science team's focus on applied science. It felt like the work was very grounded in improving the nearby community, while also informing water quality efforts across the country; I really enjoyed being able to see how the work done at the Coalition directly goes to inform policy and effect positive change."
Tony Williams, our Director of Water Quality Monitoring, has been running the Falmouth Road Race for years. He has already done a run for the day but is on site to wish his colleagues well before their run. So is the Coalition mascot CW, another staff member, who works at both the Marion and New Bedford offices, and is often out in the field.
Other Buzzards Bay Coalition staff running the Race this year are: Samantha Molind, our events intern; Kate Reilly, our events manager; John Lanham, our VP of advancement; and Brendan Annett, our VP of watershed protection. Annett, who participated in the Swim in June, is looking to do all three signature events in one year.
If you would like to support Buzzards Bay Coalition staffers, or anyone running the Falmouth Road Race to support the Coalition, go here.
