Sketch of what the Croton-Buchanan-Cortlandt Memorial will look like.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of James Rhodes

Anthony Stephens, racing for charity on the 10th anniversary of 9/11

Photo Credit: Jessica Glenza

Anthony Stephens, racing for charity on the 10th anniversary of 9/11

Photo Credit: Jessica Glenza

CROTON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – As the day of the massive Toughman Triathlon approaches, triathletes are starting to wind down their training, and prepare for the actual race day. The event itself will begin in Croton Point Park, and move throughout the village, early in the morning on the Sunday, September 11.

The significance of having race day on the 10th anniversary of September 11, and the opportunity to do good, does not escape the creator of the event, Richard Izzo.

“This year our main focus is the 9/11 memorial that’s being erected at Croton Landing,” he said. “We really want to support that memorial being built so we’re donating a portion of every entry to the memorial and allowing the memorial commission to use our fundraising abilities.”

Runners will cover a distance of just over 70 miles. The race will take place in and around the village of Croton-on-Hudson.

One local triathlete, Pastor Anthony Stephens of Our Savior Lutheran Church on Cleveland Drive in Croton, says that racing, and running in particular for him, are about helping others and hope.

“The most important thing about a memorial for 9/11,” said Stephens, “is about grieving, but not as people who have no hope.” Stephens noted borrowing the phrase from Thessalonians. One of Stephens most successful fundraising through racing efforts, was when he raised $4,000 to help a young man with a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

Stephens will race this year to raise money for Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Disaster Response. The disaster response is gathering volunteers to help with storm damage from hurricane Irene, and also with the drought in the horn of Africa. Stephens has raced in 10 previous marathons, and his is his third triathlon.

James Chen, a Cortlandt Manor resident, is part of a team of Peers Influence Peers alumni, a nonprofit teen services agency. Together, the team of alumni will raise money for the group. Chen, 29, says, “It’s a program that has helped me, even with my career now, and it was something that was really helpful to me growing up.”

The project director for the 9/11 Memorial at Croton Landing said of the memorial that “It’s a little disappointing that we didn’t get it done for the 10th anniversary,” but she added, as her father used to say, “if you do it right, you do it once.”