WATERBURY, Conn. – The Post University men's and women's cross country programs gathered in downtown Waterbury to volunteer at the seventh annual Bob Veillette 5K Road Race and Walk on Sunday. The race is dedicated to raising funds for Veillette, a former avid runner and well-known Republican-American newspaper employee in Waterbury. He was a journalist, reporter and editor for the city newspaper for more than 40 years, and was also an accomplished jazz pianist.
“The team was excited to be involved in this community event that is widely recognized, and has drawn crowds from local towns, as well as those all over Connecticut,” second-year head coach
William Ferrare said. “The coaches and student-athletes provided runners with water at one of the races' water stations, as well as cleaning up after the race. A few members of the team got the chance to meet famous marathoner Bill Rodgers, who has attended the race and shown his support for the last four years.”
Veillette suffered a massive stroke in April 2006 that left him with locked-in syndrome. Locked-in syndrome is a rare neurological disorder characterized by complete paralysis of voluntary muscles in all parts of the body except for those that control eye movement – it is a condition that leaves a person locked inside their body, paralyzed below the eyes but totally cognizant of the world around them.
In January 2008, Veillette was accepted into one of the few state Medicaid programs that help pay for home care, but his family still must pay thousands of dollars each month in care-related expenses.
The Post University men's and women's cross country programs will return to action on Friday, Sept. 14. The Eagles will race in Mitchell Invitational at 4 p.m.
