Hundreds Take Part in 20th Annual Walter's Run

By Stephen Walsh

Hundred of runners from the Parkway Running Club participated in the 20th annual Walter's Run Charity 5K in West Roxbury Sunday. 

Originally called Santa Scamper when the run first began in 1994, the Parkway Running Club renamed it Walter's Run in 2004 in honor of club member Walter Burgess who passed away at the age of 40 soon after completing his first Iron Man Triathalon.

Proceeds from the race benefit three local charities including The Boston Globe Santa fund, which was Burgess' favorite charity, the YMCA of Greater Boston Reach Out Campaign providing financial aid to those who can not afford the YMCA programs and the Walter Burgess Scholarship which sends young runners to a running camp in Newport, R.I. each summer.

The race started and ended at the West Roxbury YMCA and the first 350 registrants received a pair of running gloves and swag bags. 

For the fourth straight year, members of Girls on the Run of Suffolk County, a program for girls in the third through sixth grades, participated in the race. The program is designed to developing the character of pre-teen girls that incorporates running with a curriculum that inspires independent thinking, problem solving skills and making healthy decisions.