Marathon runners form protest groups to help Staten Island instead

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http://gothamist.com/2012/11/02/marathon_runner_starts_protest_grou.php

A Brooklyn woman scheduled to run in the NYC Marathon is gathering a group of runners to volunteer on hurricane-battered Staten Island Sunday instead of running the race. Penny Krakoff, a social worker who lives in Crown Heights, is entered in the race, but tells us she can't participate in good conscience. Instead, she plans to user her bib to take the official bus transporting marathon runners to the starting line on Staten Island—and then spurn the race to spend the day volunteering.

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Update 10:35 a.m.: Another group of Marathon runners has also been organizing independently of Krakoff's efforts. According to their Facebook page:

Runners will show up at the starting line, but will break off en masse at different points of the city to deliver supplies to places hardest hit and without power. This will mean departing from the race, to head to various buildings, running up and down stairs delivering water and canned goods, etc. Runners will show up to the marathon, as scheduled. Runners who want to help should post the words, “I’M HERE TO HELP!” somewhere on their bodies.

[sabrina 1]

1. I also read that they have Insurance to cover cancellation should it be necessary.

Good for her and I have a feeling there will be many more who will join her.

Watching some of the footage from S.I. this morning, all I can say is that diverting possibly a 1000 or more cops and fire fighters and clean-up crews to the Marathon at this point, is simply wrong.

Also, are they going to throw the victims of the storm who are in hotels right now out to honor the bookings by Marathoners?