Posted: March 29, 2007

Athletics: Cohasset Road Race by the Sea is Final Chapter in Town-Wide Read

Cohasset, Mass. - On Sunday, April 1st the seaside town of Cohasset, Mass. will come to the finish line of its “One Book One Cohasset” initiative. The 31st Cohasset Road Race-by-the-Sea 10K (www.roadracebythesea.com) and Fran Coffey Memorial Fun Walk, sponsored by the Cohasset Rotary Club, will serve as the grand finale of the town-wide program in which all residents were encouraged to read the same book over the past two months. At the start line of Sunday’s race will be BAA Boston Marathon Race Director, Dave McGillivray, whose book, The Last Pick, was the town’s reading selection. In these days of the internet there are towns whose libraries are filled only with books and not people, however in Cohasset, One Book special events like Dave McGillivray’s book signing and motivational talk filled the library with capacity crowds. Yoga classes, Life Coach Seminars and Skin Care instruction were just a few of the activities that complimented the book’s themes of Be Your Best and Dream BIG! The was even a Reading Marathon during which special guest readers, including Cohasset resident and WCVB anchor, Anthony Everett, read books to students at Cohasset’s elementary schools. Everett will also be the emcee at the race’s Award’s Ceremony beginning at 2:15 pm, at the South Shore Community Center. The Last Pick is the inspirational story of BAA Boston Marathon Race Director Dave McGillivray which was written by Dave McGillivray and co-author, Linda Glass Fechter—a Cohasset resident. The book intimately recounts the mental and physical obstacles McGillivray faced along life’s road and over the past few months has inspired many Cohasset residents to complete their own life’s ”marathon,” whatever it may be. McGillivray has generously donated his time to speaking at the Cohasset Rotary Club, two schools and at the library over these past two months. “It has been an incredible experience to have an entire town embrace the book,” says McGillivray. “The intent was to inspire others to set goals and reach for their dreams, yet this town is filled with countless people who have inspired me, from the youngest residents to the oldest.” The One Book One Cohasset Project consisted of a project committee comprised of members of the Friends and Trustees of the library, representatives of Cohasset’s schools, parent/student organization representatives, clergy, town officials, the Council on Elder Affairs and local businesses. Buttonwood Books, Goodwin Graphics, the Cohasset Yoga Center, The Good Sport and the Cohasset Mariner newspaper who all worked to make this first time program a success. On Sunday, April 1st race day, no matter the male and female winner of the race, it is the library and the town who have emerged has the champions these past few months. Cohasset Road Race-by-the-Sea consists of a Walk at 10 a.m. and also a 10K road race beginning at noon. To register, visit www.roadracebythesea.com. Race day registration is available.