Vision 5k: June 7, 2008

March 17, 2008

Bill Rodgers helps get the 2008 Vision 5K off to a great start

Bill Rodgers and Leslie Nordin

The 2008 Vision 5K took off running today at the annual leadership breakfast. Hosted at Bank of New York Mellon on State Street in downtown Boston, the meeting brought together sponsors, the organizing charities, and participants in the new CEO Challenge.

Four-time winner of the Boston and New York marathons Bill Rodgers announced that he'll be attending the race, bringing together one of history's best runners on the same course as the elite visually impaired athletes competing for the US Championship at the Vision 5K.

And, in a surprise announcement, Rodgers told the excited crowd that he will run the race as the guide for the top fundraiser in the CEO Challenge.

David Lamere, Chief Executive Officer of BNY Mellon Wealth Management, encouraged the CEO's and other leaders in the room to use opportunities like the Vision 5K to demonstrate the potential for a diverse workplace.

Leslie Nordin, who participated in the Blindfold Challenge last year, reminded everyone that their participation makes a difference. Nordin, an avid runner whose young son is blind, said that donning a blindfold for the race could never teach her what it is like to be live without her sight, but it opened an important window into her relationship with her son. "This experience changed my life," she said.

All proceeds from the race benefit five organizations that help blind and visually impaired adults and children. To learn more about the CEO Challenge or the Vision 5K, e-mail contact@vision5k.org.