Locals can compete in the road races in April and July.
Photo credit: File Photo

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. – Westborough can expect many charity events for a good cause this spring with a relay race, road race and game night already planned.

The 3rd Annual 5K/10K to benefit the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Research will be held on Sunday, April 29 at 9:30 a.m. The route of the race will begin at the Westboro Swim and Tennis Club and cover the area of Lyman Street, Haskell Street, Wachusett Drive, Brickyard Lane and Chauncy Circle.

The road race did exceptionally well last year, raising over $100,000 for pancreatic cancer research. Maria Rydelek from the Westboro Swim and Tennis Club believes having the road race in Westborough has brought the community together.

“I have found that in doing these events I’ve met a countless number of family and fiends that are connected in one way or another to pancreatic cancer,” Rydelek said. “When I’m at the club people come up to me and say thank you because they had a family member diagnosed with cancer.”

A game night fundraiser will also be held for the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Research on Friday, April 27. Rydelek said they held a silent auction last year but a game night seemed more appropriate. The Vegas-themed fundraiser will be called “Beat The Odds.”

Debbie Silverman, who is working together with Rydelek to plan the event, said raising money for pancreatic cancer is more important than people might think.

“Pancreatic cancer is the least funded because it is the most deadly. No cancer is good but this is one of the worst,” Silverman said. “This is great because through the Lustgarten Foundation, all the money goes toward research.”

More information will be posted to the Westboro Tennis and Swim Club’s website.

The Mass Dash Relay will race its way through Westborough again this year on Saturday, July 14 and Sunday, July 15. The two-day team adventure relay race will bring runners together to raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

The race will begin at the bottom of Mount Greylock in Lanesboro, Mass. and end at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston.

Mass Dash Relay coordinators believe runners will be arriving in Westborough during 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. to hand off their relay baton to their team’s next runner in the parking lot of Westborough High School.

More information is available on the Mass Dash Relay’s website.