Watertown Resident Running Race to Raise Money for Perkins

Perkins School for the Blind announced one of the Boston Marathon runners raising money for the school is from Watertown:

On April 18, Watertown resident Kelly Cote will endure 26.2 miles of sore feet and aching muscles for a good cause. She’ll run the Boston Marathon to raise money for Perkins School for the Blind.

Cote is one of 19 runners on the Perkins charity team who will pound the pavement from Hopkinton to Boston to raise over $100,000 for people who are blind or visually impaired. Cote has personally committed to raising $10,000.

The Perkins team, which includes runners from around the country, is an officially recognized charity for the 115th Boston Marathon. It’s the only charity team in the 2011 race that focuses exclusively on helping people with visual impairments. The donations will fund the Watertown-based school’s on-campus, regional and international programs.

Cote joined the Perkins team because she works at the school as Supervisor of Outreach Short Courses. In that role, she plans and coordinates weekend and summer programs for public school students with visual impairments to learn daily living skills, participate in recreation activities and more.

“I strive to be a role model for my students and hope that my strength and determination encourage them to both reach their own goals, as well as pursue an active lifestyle,” she said.

Cote started volunteering at Perkins when she was just 15 years old.

“From a young age I have believed in the extraordinary work that happens at Perkins and found great satisfaction in supporting the school’s mission,” she said. “I am honored to be running on the Perkins Marathon Team and committed to raising funds that will continue to sustain current programming and also create new opportunities.”

The 2011 Boston Marathon will be Cote’s first marathon, although she has completed several half-marathons.

“I’m thrilled to be running Boston,” she said. “My goal is to finish in under 4:30.”

To support Cote’s marathon run and make a donation to Perkins, visit http://support.perkins.org/goto/kcote.