Lawyers, judges, and civic leaders rally for Jacksonville Seniors in 2024 Freed to Run Challenge
Donations of any amount are welcome and needed. Supporters can donate in support of individual runners, walkers, relay teams or cyclists
“We have a wonderful group of people ready to hit the pavement for JALA, but we would like to see more people getting involved, and there is still time,” said event founder and Gunster shareholder Mike Freed.
The 2024 Freed to Run Challenge November 23-24 benefiting Jacksonville Area Legal Aid’s Shelter for Elders initiative is drawing lawyers, judges, business leaders, and other civic-minded athletes to help fund an endowment for housing-related legal assistance for indigent seniors.
The runners and walkers will complete half-mile laps around the Duval County Courthouse in a period of either 12 or 24 hours beginning November 23, or run a 5k on November 24, while the cyclists will bike from the St. Johns County Courthouse to the Duval County Courthouse November 24. All are gathering financial pledges for JALA.
“We have a wonderful group of people ready to hit the pavement for JALA, but we would like to see more people getting involved, and there is still time,” said event founder and Gunster shareholder Mike Freed.
The Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund is matching a gift of $25,000 from a single donor, dollar-for-dollar, provided that at least $50,000 can be raised from additional major donors. The challenge grant is designed to help the Freed to Run Challenge raise $100,000 from large donors.
“We can’t say enough about how Delores Barr Weaver and the entire community has come out in support of Northeast Florida seniors through the Freed to Run Challenge,” said JALA President and CEO Jim Kowalski. “In 2023 we served nearly 1,500 seniors, while our attorneys helped prevent 297 evictions and 132 foreclosures. We couldn’t do this work without our many loyal supporters.”
Donations of any amount are welcome and needed. Supporters can donate in support of individual runners, walkers, relay teams or cyclists at www.jaxlegalaid.org/freedtorun.
Participants may also register at the same link. So far, the participating individuals and teams are:
24-Hour Challenge Teams
- SooPage — Regina Sooey
- Harrell & Harrell — BJ Taylor
- Ameris Bank — Paul Ferrara
- JALA Staff – Dennis Harrison
12-Hour Challenge Teams
- JALA Board of Directors — James Poindexter
- Active Senior Advocates — Patricia Vail
5K Teams
- The Crowell’s — Kenneth Crowell
- Team Encanto — Judge John Guy
35-Mile Bike Challenge Teams
- Tailwind Please — Dana & Rich Lucas
- Judge Casey Woolsey
- Litigation into Submission — Jim Kowalski
- Judge Howard McGillin
- The Defenders — Jeanine Sasser
- Judge Kenneth Janesk
- City of Jacksonville — Laura Boeckman
The Shelter for Elders endowment supports JALA’s work to prevent and address housing issues such as reverse mortgage foreclosures, door-to-door scams, wrongful evictions, substandard living conditions, discriminatory practices, and other shelter-related challenges faced by vulnerable seniors.
For more information, contact Dennis Harrison at [email protected].
