Friendship, mission support behind run in Pittsburgh Marathon
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WINTERSVILLE -- The Pittsburgh Marathon on Sunday will find Wintersville resident Carlin Long running for a reason, and not just to fare well in the 26.2-mile race.
The senior physical therapy major at Duquesne University is honoring the memory of his best friend and classmate, the late Cynthia Phillipson, who died in 2014, and raising money and awareness about "Cynthia's Kitchen," a mission in her memory.
"I am very excited to run the marathon this year," Long communicated in an e-mail about his plans. "I was supposed to run the Pittsburgh Marathon in 2020 and 2021, but both were canceled, so I am very excited to get to run my first live marathon."
The cancellation because of pandemic restrictions, however, didn't stop Long from running the 2020 marathon, for example, on what would have been the day of the Pittsburgh Marathon and raising money as he devised a local course that began and ended at his home in Wintersville.
"Last year we raised $12,000 for Cynthia's Kitchen," Long noted of what's part of Mary's Meals, a nonprofit organization that provides schools in impoverished nations with daily meals for their students.
"Because of the successful fundraising year and our 'at-home' marathon in 2020, we were able to sponsor a second kitchen located in Liberia which is called City of Hope Christian Academy. We now sponsor this kitchen in addition to St. Dominic's School each year. Our goal is now to raise $12,000 each year to keep both of Cynthia's Kitchens operating," explained Long, a 2018 graduate of Catholic Central High School.
Cynthia Phillipson, the daughter of Todd and Carol Phillipson, was a 15-year-old freshman at CCHS who went into cardiac arrest during basketball practice on Oct. 30, 2014. She died Nov. 2 at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh.
"After finishing the at-home marathon, I did have a feeling that I would be attempting another one as I have fallen in love with marathon running," commented Long, who also is in his first phase of the graduate physical therapy program at Duquesne.
Running and raising money will likely become a tradition. "While it may not always be running the Pittsburgh Marathon, I would like to be able to continue running for Mary's Meals and the Cynthia's Kitchen Project. My hope is to start an official marathon team for the Cynthia's Kitchen Project and recruit more runners to support Cynthia's Kitchen through their races," he noted.
"This year people are just donating to sponsor me for the marathon through our Facebook page or through Venmo," he explained.
There also is a wine-tasting fundraiser at Valley Wine Cellar in Wintersville today from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $25, and there will be drawing items available to win.
"You can donate through our Facebook page by searching 'The Cynthia's Kitchen Project' on Facebook and clicking the 'about' or 'learn more' button. People can also donate through Venmo by sending money to @CynthiaRosePhillipson-CF and putting 'Cynthia's Kitchen' in the payment description," he added.
Long hopes to run an under three-hour marathon Sunday and qualify for the 2023 Boston Marathon. "I would like to run the Boston Marathon in support of Cynthia's Kitchen and to continue to share the story of Cynthia and raise more awareness for Mary's Meals," he added.
Since Philippson's death, CCHS "has carried on Cynthia's fundraising efforts on behalf of Mary's Meals, an international charity that works with local communities in developing countries to feed children one nutritious meal a day in their place of schooling. It was a passion project of Cynthia's, and the school, her friends and community wanted to continue doing so in her memory," noted Helena Finnegan, communications manager with Mary's Meals USA.
"After exceeding their fundraising goal one year, they decided to adopt a kitchen in Bomi, Liberia, and named it Cynthia's Kitchen. And continuing on with their efforts and focused on the mission of feeding hungry children at school, in 2019, the school raised enough money to support a second school kitchen in Liberia," Finnegan continued. "In its 20th year, Mary's Meals is honored to feed nearly 2.3 million children every day in 20 countries including Tigray, Ethiopia, Yemen and South Sudan. It is only through the many little acts of love around the world and here in the U.S. like those of Carlin, his schools and community, that the Mary's Meals mission continues."
Long stressed the importance of Phillipson's legacy and the many lives she changed, including his.
"Cynthia was incredibly kind and showed the utmost care and respect for everyone she met," he commented. "She loved Mary's Meals and helping the children through their programs that desperately need it. I believe this is a way that I can help keep the memory alive of my best friend. This project carries on her giving heart and desire to help those in need each year," he noted.
Long also pointed out that his role is a small one in being the vessel through which others can show their desire to help.
"Without the support of Bishop Mussio, Catholic Central High School, Theresa Danaher, Chrissy DiMichele, the Phillipson family, my mom (Susan Long), my dad (Chris Long), my brother (Evan Long) and all of our supporters, none of this would be possible," he noted. "This project is an entire community showing little acts of love and coming together to help those in need."