WORCESTER—Saint Paul Diocesan Jr./Sr. High School is putting a new spin on its fall fundraising efforts this year by hosting its first-ever 5K Knightmare Run & Walk on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 10 a.m.
Half the proceeds from the event go to the family of James Kelly, a senior student at Saint Paul who was diagnosed with leukemia this past spring. The other half of the funds will go to the school to assist with student programming and special events.
The event takes place on the school’s campus, located at 144 Granite St. A “fun run” for children 10 and under will be held at 9:30 a.m. on the football field (no registration required). Registration for both runners and walkers is $30 and can be done in advance of the event online here. Same-day registration at the event will also be available. Participants are welcome and encouraged to wear their favorite Halloween costumes. Donations for the event can be made online here.
Karen Fuller, assistant principal for student life at Saint Paul, noted that the school wanted to do something more inclusive for the community than the traditional fundraising golf tournaments they’ve operated in the past. This 5K event will allow students and staff at Saint Paul to participate in an on-campus event while also giving them a personal reason to fundraise for a family that is so revered by the school’s community.
“Their family is such a prominent family here. They’re so well-known here and so well-loved,” said Fuller. “They’re the most genuine family you can possibly imagine. We would do anything to help them.”
Fuller describes Kelly as a “superstar student” who was recently recognized with a national merit commendation for his high-achievement on the PSAT examination. James, who has been undergoing leukemia treatment in Boston, was the quarterback of the Knights’ football team last season a junior. He made a special trip back to Saint Paul to be honored as a senior member and captain of the team at the annual homecoming football game against Oxford on October 4.
Kelly’s older sister Maria is a 2024 graduate of Saint Paul who now attends the College of the Holy Cross. She was honored with the Saint Paul Knight Award as a senior. Kelly’s younger sister Lucy is currently a sophomore and a member of the Knights’ cross-country team.
The 5K Knightmare Run & Walk will start on the main driveway of the Saint Paul campus and includes a loop around Worcester Academy’s Gaskill Field. Members of the school’s faculty and staff will participate in the event as runners, walkers or volunteers. The Saint Paul cross-country teams will serve as volunteers on the course, pointing people in the right direction.
Since being notified of Kelly’s diagnosis last spring, the Saint Paul community has rallied around James and his family during a difficult time of need. The school raised nearly $3,000 for the Kellys through a large bake sale as well as selling student-designed #JamesStrong t-shirts and wrist bands. Saint Paul has also hosted special prayer services for James and his family.
Fuller is hopeful that the local community will come out to support both the Kelly family and the school through this fun, family-friendly, Halloween-themed event. The level of compassion Saint Paul has displayed for the family over the last several months has been truly immeasurable.
“We love them and it’s the right thing to do,” said Fuller.
Mike Vigneux is a freelance writer in Worcester with more than 20 years of experience in the fields of municipal government, communications, and public relations. An avid fan of all sports, Mike enjoys telling the stories of local athletes and their teams. He holds two degrees from Clark University, a bachelor of arts in Communication and a master of science in Professional Communication. He can be reached at Mikevigs@gmail.com
