Based in Braintree, Mass., seven Hub Pen Company employees teamed up with six staffers from Hanson, Massachusetts-based distributor Walker-Clay to participate in the Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center’s 10th Annual 4k Trail Run. Three employees from Charles Riverboat Company, a Walker-Clay client, completed the 16-person team.
Held on September 23, the event began with a ferry ride and concluded with a cookout celebration and awards ceremony, which was emceed by marathon legend Bill Rodgers. During the race, 572 runners traversed 204 acres of rolling hills, forests, meadows, salt marshes and beaches along the trails of the island on the way to the finish line.
Proceeds benefit Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center, a not-for-profit organization that provides outdoor adventure and experiential learning programs for young people from diverse economic backgrounds. Each year, funds from the trail run help bring 6,500 young people from greater Boston to Thompson Island to participate in challenging environmental education programs that build self-confidence, leadership and teamwork skills while improving students’ academic success.
Employees from each company ran as part of the Corporate Team Challenge to celebrate their professional teamwork and to help build an even better relationship. The top eight times for each team were combined, averaged and rank ordered to determine the overall fastest teams. The Walker-Clay/Hub Pen team placed No. 14 in a field of 24 teams, with an average time of 20:32.
Results of the complete Walker-Clay/Hub Pen team are:
1. Russell Cushman, Charles Riverboat Company 19:05
2. Bob Stearns, Hub Pen Company 19:31
3. Pavle Medunic, Hub Pen Company 19:51
4. Mary McGaughey, Hub Pen Company 20:25
5. Bob McGaughey, Hub Pen Company 20:25
6. Meghan Roan, Walker-Clay 20:48
7. Tracey King, Walker-Clay 21:48
8. Rebecca Graffy, Charles Riverboat Company 22:23
9. Heather Clay, Charles Riverboat Company 22:25
10. Andrew Bertino, Hub Pen Company 22:39
11. William Clay, Walker-Clay 27:34
12. Laurie Stearns, Hub Pen Company 29:54
13. Kelly Rindone, Hub Pen Company 30:40
14. Charles Nugent, Walker-Clay 32:23
15. Amanda Clay, Walker-Clay 36:45
16. Colleen Nugent, Walker-Clay 36:46
“Three years ago, my daughter Heather and I participated in the race because of its uniqueness, and the experience was awesome. It is scenic, the run isn’t overwhelming, the camaraderie is excellent and the food is great,” said Bill Clay, president of Walker-Clay. “Afterward, I was telling Joe Fleming [Hub Pen general manager] about it, and he said he would like to participate in it. In 2009 and again this year, we put together a combined team—with our own specially designed race-day T-shirts—and had an awesome experience. What a great way to spend an evening in Boston.”
Kelly Rindone, senior accounting representative for Hub Pen, said, “Walker-Clay and Hub Pen have a fantastic professional relationship, and we thought it would be a great idea to partner for a second year to support what Outward Bound does for the Boston area’s inner city youth and our local environment. And from a professional point of view, we truly admire the program’s emphasis on the importance of corporate team building. Hub Pen is a growing company, and we are constantly trying to improve our working relationships, both within our office and with our valued distributor customers.”
