Four Team Brookline Non-Profits Announced

For next year's Boston Marathon, four Brookline non-profits will team up to benefit from twenty local runners--and now we know who those non-profits are.

The town receives a group of marathon racing numbers, or waivers, each year. Under the new program, a managing organization would recruit, train and support runners from a number of non-profit organizations from Brookline--including their own. The aim is to make a more community-wide program. 

The "number of non-profits" is now four, and the four organizations are: The Brookline Education Foundation, Brookline Teen Center, Brookline Library Foundation and the Brookline Community Mental Health Center--which is managing the team.

The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously last night to accept those four organizations. 

Selectman Jesse Mermell called the group "a great cross-section of organizations around town."

As the town is receiving 20 waivers, Town Administrator Mel Kleckner confirmed that they are dividing them evenly, meaning that each organization will have five dedicated runners. 

Each runners is expected to raise at least $5,000, which will go to the non-profit organizations, as well covering the costs of running the team--although  (any funds raised above that $5,000 will go to the charities).

In future races, that ratio may shift closer to the non-profits.

The Team plans to hire a coach who will create individual running plans for team members, as well as organizing regular runs leading up to the big race. Runners will also have the option to run in a half-marathon before the big race, which will let them guage their training progress.

Interested runners can download an application at the Brookline Center website to join Team Brookline for the 2013 race. 

Other non-profits interested in benefiting from Team Brookline will have to wait for next year's applications--and the 2014 race--officials confirmed.

[Correction: A previous version of this article indicated that half of the $5,000 raised will go to covering team costs. According to an email from Town Administrator Mel Kleckner, it is closer to a third. This has been corrected. 4:19 p.m.]