Author: Friends of Peabody

I want to take a minute to thank all of the amazing volunteers who came together 2 weeks ago spending 24 HOURS TOGETHER IN A VAN running/walking approximately 200 miles to raise $$ for the Peabody School. With your help, our tremendous volunteers raised over $8,000 for Friends of Peabody!

THANK YOU THANK YOU to our parents, aunts, uncles and friends (even a few former Peabody parents!) who participated.

This weekend, the Friends of Peabody Ragnar Relay team will hit the start line in a haze of caffeine and sleep deprivation and end 200 miles, 30-ish hours, and 3 States later in a blaze of glory. In theory. We hope. Watch out for us on the course May 20 and 21, and you can still  support our fundraising efforts by making a donation here. 

The Friends of Peabody Ragnar Relay team is still looking for Teachers, Staff, Parents, Aunts, Uncles, and Friends to join our relay team this year, running 200 miles to raise funds for our beloved school. We have assembled a list of our most frequently asked questions for those of you that may be interested.

When is it? May 20-21. Friday and Saturday. Groton to Quincy. We are hoping to finalize our roster by March 22.

How long will I be away?We recommend childcare coverage from midnight Thursday to 11 pm Saturday at a minimum. Some folks like to make a weekend out of it, and some return to Cambridge after our final runners finished the race. Start times are assigned based on the average pace times we submit. 

How does it work? 

A long distance, team, overnight running relay that covers about 200 miles over two days and one night.  Only one runner hits the road at a time. Each participant runs three times, with each leg ranging between 3-13 miles and varying in difficulty. Runners average about 17 total miles, with some of the shorter runner positions totaling 11 miles and some of the longer runner positions totaling 24 miles. The van DOES NOT follow the runners the whole way so there is time to pull off, rest, gas up, etc. 

Will I be sleeping in a van? 

Not the whole entire time. We reserve rooms at some of the more glamorous “travelodges” so we have a place to shower, sleep and eat. 

What do we ride in? 

 We’ve rented premium SUVs (Ford Expedition or Chevy Suburban) or minivans in the past. Each will hold the driver and up to 6 runners. 

Is there a fundraising minimum? There is not, but we do hope all of our runners to promote their participation on the team and to help secure individual and business donations. 
Is there a cost involved? Registration is already covered, but we do ask people to pitch in to help with van rentals, hotel, food and gas. It should not be more than $150.
I can’t run. Is there another way to help? We are still looking for two more drivers. And ifyou can walk or crawl or trot 17 miles, we’d love to have you. If none of that is up your alley, you can always support our fundraising efforts by making a donation here. ,
If this sounds like your idea of a good time or you have questions about the event, please reach out to Jenn McManus-Goode or John Pyper.

In pre-COVID days, a rotating, but dedicated and crazy group of Peabody School Parents, Aunts, Uncles, and Friends would spend Mother’s Day weekend running 200 miles to raise funds for our beloved school. We’ve raised over $21k since the team began racing. Even in the midst of the pandemic last May, we pulled in over $4000 with the help of a bunch of new families and Peabody kids. 

As with the rest of 2021, everything about this year’s Ragnar is different. Different location! Different time of year! Masks! COVID precautions! But some things remain the same:

• We run a long distance, team, overnight running relay that covers approximately 200 miles. 
• This year’s race is October 22-23 and runs from Groton, CT to Quincy, MA over two days and one night.  
• Each participant runs three times, with each leg ranging between 3-13 miles and varying in difficulty. Runners average about 17 total miles, with some of the shorter runner positions totaling 11 miles and some of the longer runner positions totaling 24 miles. 
• You can walk, you can crawl, and we don’t care how fast you are (or are not). Almost every single team member, over the past few years, has said, “but I’m not a runner.” 

We do this insanity because we believe firmly in supporting the public education that is helping to prepare our children to be the leaders of tomorrow, and to support The Friends of the Peabody School (FoP). We know that the 2021/2022 school year will likely be unprecedented in numerous ways, and would love to pull together a strong team to support the school and our kids. 

We’re going to be organizing some group runs so you can meet returning team members and get people psyched for the October race. If this sounds up your alley or you have questions about the event, please reach out to Jenn McManus-Goode.

It’s the time of year that Friends of Peabody would usually be working hard to prepare for our annual solicitation. Since everything is different this year, we are postponing our solicitation for now. However, we have still heard from some families who want to generously donate and of course we continue to welcome those donations! If you are interested in donating to Friends of Peabody this year, you can continue to make donations via PayPal through our Donations page or send a check directly to us at the school address:

Thank you to everyone who supports Friends of Peabody, whether it’s a donation of your time, money, energy or anything else. We couldn’t continue to support our school and our children without your help.

Our EIN for tax purposes is 81-3656059.