As debate raged over whether to cancel the New York Marathon, one former Westporter decided to act.
Conley Downing
Conley Downing — a 2002 Staples graduate, now a senior account executive at TracyLocke — “decided to instead focus that negative energy into an opportunity to do good for her battered city,” ABC World News reports.
At 8 a.m. yesterday she created Race 2 Recover NYC. Yesterday afternoon, it went live.
The site takes hotel rooms reserved by runners, and donates them to New Yorkers displaced by Hurricane Sandy. Those without heat and power also are eligible.
Within minutes, offers for rooms poured in.
There will be no New York marathon winner this year. But many runners — those already in the city who are helping out; those inspired by Race2RecoverNYC to donate rooms, and site creator Conley Downing herself — are already champions.
