From the Community

Jamaica Plain Native to Run Boston Marathon for Fiancé

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Running brought Megan Bunnell together with Eric Schlobohm, her boyfriend of eight years, and now she is running her first ever marathon to support an organization that is close to both of their hearts. 

As a member of Team Joslin for the Boston Marathon, Bunnell is helping to raise money for Joslin Diabetes Center, where Schlobohm has been a Type 1 diabetes patient for years, as they search for a cure for diabetes and continue top-notch research and care. As a fourth year medical school student at Dartmouth, Bunnell understands the basics of diabetes, but she says her challenge is “balancing the medical knowledge while still being Schlobohm’s support system first.” Bunnell says the nurses and doctors at Joslin have been incredibly helpful in answering all her questions while being respectful of Schlobohm as the patient. Bunnell wants to raise money for Joslin for everything they have done for Schlobohm, but she also has an appreciation for the center through her father. Her dad is a general pediatrician down the street from Joslin and relies on them as an organization. “Some of his patients have diabetes, and it’s a big deal knowing he can send them to Joslin for excellent care,” said Bunnell.

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Government

Councilor O’Malley Proclaiming June 20th Des Linden Day, Honoring Boston Marathon Winner

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Desiree Linden was the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon in 33 years, and to honor her, Wednesday will be Des Linden Day in Boston. District 6 Boston City Councilor Matt O’Malley will host a meet and greet with Desiree “Des” Linden in Boston City Hall (Curley Room, 5th Floor) from 11 am to noon. Later at the weekly Boston City Council meeting at noon, O'Malley, himself and avid runner, will declare June 20, 2018, Des Linden Day in Boston. Linden has completed the Boston Marathon six times, and won it this year in treacherous weather conditions, with a time of 2:38:55.

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From the Community

Jamaica Plain Resident Runs Boston Marathon on Behalf of uAspire

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Jonathan Schoeck was one of nearly 30,000 runners in the 121st Boston Marathon on Monday. This was the first marathon for the Jamaica Plain resident, who was running for uAspire through an entry provided by John Hancock. "uAspire’s mission to find paths to post-secondary education for all students was something that resonated with me," said Schoeck, a father, runner, designer and coffee enthusiast. "My wife has done similar work with first generation students, so I immediately understood the importance of what uAspire is working towards, and it’s becoming ever more important.”

uAspire’s mission is to ensure that all young people have the financial information and resources necessary to find an affordable path to – and through – a postsecondary education. To accomplish this mission, uAspire partners with schools and community organizations to provide financial aid advice and advocacy to young people and families to help them overcome the financial barriers to higher education.

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Sports

First-Ever Women’s Olympic Marathon Champion, Boston Marathon Winner Honored By Councilor O’Malley

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Joan Benoit Samuelson, who previously held the women's record for the Boston Marathon, was honored by the Boston City Council Wednesday. Jamaica Plain's City Councilor, Matt O'Malley, authored a resolution proclaiming April 12, 2017, as Joan Benoit Samuelson Day in Boston. Joan Benoit Samuelson won the first women’s Olympic marathon in 1984, which was the first year the women's marathon was held in the Olympics. “I am thrilled to be honoring Joan Benoit Samuelson for her outstanding running success and commitment to promoting health and wellness across the country,” said O’Malley, who has participated in the Boston Marathon seven times. “Benoit Samuelson has and continues to inspire competitive runners with her story.”

Benoit Samuelson entered the Boston Marathon as a relative unknown in 1979 and ended up winning with a record-setting time of 2:35:15.

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From the Community

JP Resident Running Boston Marathon For Mass. Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired

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Jamaica Plain resident Ryan Pace will be running his 24th consecutive Boston Marathon this year. The 44-year-old will be running for The Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (MABVI) with the Team with a Vision in 2017. A volunteer for Community Servings and the Real Estate Advisory Committee of the Urban Land Institute, Pace is involved in many charitable running clubs across Massachusetts. It was in a Boston running club where Pace met his wife, and the two now have a 5-year-old-son. Of the many marathons he has run, Pace recalls the 2014 Boston Marathon as one of his more memorable ones.

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Screen shot of GoFundMe page for Joanna Leigh
Police and Fire

UPDATE: JP’s Alleged Marathon Fraudster Pleads Guilty

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UPDATE: On Friday, Joanna Leigh pleaded guilty to all the counts against her. A Superior Court judge sentenced her to one year in prison and suspended it to three years of probation, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. ~~~~~

Jamaica Plain's Joanna Leigh, 41, who pleaded not guilty to five counts of larceny and one count of making a false claim to a government agency this spring, is scheduled to be back in court on Friday morning. Prosecutors allege the Jamaica Plain woman raked in nearly $40,000 in cash and services by faking injury in the Boston Marathon bombings. Back in March when she pleaded guilty, the judge released Leigh without bail, but ordered her to give up her passport, be booked by Boston Police and not travel out of the region without telling the court.

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Sports

BAA Half Marathon on Sunday Will Mean Brief Road Closures and Detours

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The annual Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Jimmy Fund Half Marathon is Sunday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. It begins and ends at White Stadium in Franklin Park. The road closures and detours for the course route and abutting roads in Forest Hills are shown on the map. In addition, segments of Pond Avenue, Perkins Street and Francis Parkman Drive will also be affected. It's a good idea not to drive in the area at all until the event is over. Here's a link to the Boston Athletic Association's website, which has much more information on the even and its traffic impacts.

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Screen shot of GoFundMe page for Joanna Leigh
Police and Fire

Jamaica Plain Woman Charged With Bilking Bombing Fund Pleads Not Guilty

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Joanna Leigh, 41, pleaded not guilty to five counts of larceny and one count of making a false claim to a government agency on Monday. Prosecutors allege the Jamaica Plain woman raked in nearly $40,000 in cash and services by faking injury in the Boston Marathon bombings. The judge released Leigh without bail, but ordered her to give up her passport, be booked by Boston Police and not travel out of the region without telling the court. Last week she told the Globe the charges are a result of her public criticism of the One Fund. Leigh claims to have run toward the scene after hearing the first bomb, but investigators say she was actually blocks away from the explosions.

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Screen shot of GoFundMe page for Joanna Leigh
Police and Fire

Jamaica Plain Woman Indicted for Allegedly Faking Bombing Injuries

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Joanna Leigh, a Jamaica Plain woman who collected nearly $40,000 from the One Fund and other donation sources, stands accused of faking her injuries. WCVB reports that Leigh has been indicted on several counts of stealing donations. Leigh claims to have run toward the scene after hearing the first bomb, but investigators say she was actually blocks away from the explosions. Leigh said she suffered brain damage, hearing loss and is experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This summer, the JP resident's new service dog went missing, sparking a hunt that was among our most-read stories of the year.

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