Captain Profiles
Aid Station Captains
i. Aid Station #1 (Mile 3a)
Captain: Jeff Laperuta
Co-Captain: Richard DePhillips
Captain's years at aid station: 25
Favorite aspect of mile 3a: "The best thing about Mile 3 is the amount of runners still fresh from the start of the race who take the time to say "THANK YOU" to all of our volunteers in their native language besides English."
ii. Aid Station #2 (Mile 3b)
Captain: Paul Riggs
Co-Captain: Henry Tsu
Captain's years at aid station: 23
Volunteer groups at mile 3b: BSA Troop 53 Alumni, BSA Troop 7 (Staten Island), BSA Troop 219 (Old Bridge, NJ).
Favorite aspect of mile 3b: "My favorite thing about volunteering at Mile 3b is that I get to reunite with friends that I don't get to see but once a year. Also, being the first water station over the bridge, the runners have not spread out very much That makes for a very exciting 1/2 hour of sidewalk to sidewalk runners coming by our water station."
iii. Aid Station #3 (Mile 4)
Captain: Phil Zodda
Co-Captain: N/A
Captain's years at aid station: 24
Volunteer groups at mile 4: Various track and boy scout clubs in the area, in addition to 15 local residents.
Favorite aspect of mile 4: "I take pride in knowing that we are the largest aid station on the course. Volunteers are constantly informed that we are here to serve every runner, from the first elite wave down to the last walker! It is the first time all 3 levels of the start come together, even with the wave start. We have traditionally been the first Gatorade station. We are 2 blocks long, 4 sides of the street with near 100 tables and do not have time to reload. The task at hand each year is to get the help before 7:00am, move like an army, set up tables, skirts, sometimes unload Poland Springs trucks by hand, mix Gatorade according to specs, clean the street, stack boxes separate from plastic, and be race ready before 10:00am, making sure that no problems delay the race time set up. We work together to prepare our station. Each year has its own challenges. When all is complete and I am the last to leave the 4 Mile location, I leave tired, with a tremendous sense of accomplishment and gratitude for my fellow runners. You're all welcome, very much!"
iv. Aid Station #4 (Mile 5)
Captain: Joe Caruso Jr.
Co-Captain: Chris Reis
Captain's years at aid station: I have been around close to twenty years; my original spot was the mile known as 8.3.
Volunteer groups at mile 5: I have a half dozen groups, including boy scouts, girl scouts, and a high school track club (John J. Pershing IS 220, Girl Scout Council of Greater NYC, Lifelines)
Favorite aspect of mile 5: "I enjoy the community involvement that occurs every year along with the returning volunteers that attend each year. My personal highlight occurred when I was at the 8.3 mile when Mayor Dinkins got out of his car and walked the block."
v. Aid Station #5 (Mile 6)
Captain: Carmine Santoli
Co-Captain: Philip Santoli
Captain's years at aid station: 35
Volunteer groups at mile 6: Brooklyn Int’l High School, FBI Explorers
Favorite aspect of mile 6: "Working with all of the individuals and groups that come out to support the station. After 35 years, it’s still exciting."
vi. Aid Station #6 (Mile 7)
Captain: Mines Jackson
Co-Captain: Tyrone Jackson
Captain's years at aid station: 17
Volunteer groups at mile 7: Franklin K. Lane High School, Kitty Hawk Air Society
Favorite aspect of mile 7: "I enjoy the fact that I’m out there volunteering every year in a community that I grew up in and lived for 18 years."
vii. Aid Station #7 (Mile 8)
Captain: Michelle Randall-Williams
Co-Captain: Linda Bryant
Captain's years at aid station: 30
Volunteer groups at mile 8: Lions Club, Bishop Loughlin High School, NY Cares, P.S. 29 Running Team, Leon M. Goldstein High School
Favorite aspect of mile 8: "The good old American camaraderie and spirit of the people of the community, as well as the powerful energy that the runners display as they pass through mile 8."
viii. Aid Station #8 (Mile 9)
Captain: Rodney Davis
Co-Captain: N/A
Captain's years at aid station: 20
Volunteer groups at mile 9: Liberty Partnerships, NYPD Explorers
Favorite aspect of mile 9: "The sense of community I get year after year."
ix. Aid Station #9 (Mile 10)
Captain: Ronald Shider
Co-Captain: Barbara Shider
Captain's years at aid station: 35
Volunteer groups at mile 10: Brooklyn Community Board #10, NYPD Explorers, 90th precinct, various high schools in the area.
Favorite aspect of mile 10: "By the time they get to mile 10, we have a pretty good idea of who’s going to win the race and who is and isn’t going to make it all 26.2 miles."
x. Aid Station #10 (Mile 11)
Captain: Nora Guevara
Co-Captain: Mr. Ayala
Captain's years at aid station: 1
Volunteer groups at mile 11: Fuerza Latina/Edward R. Murrow High School, Long Island University
Favorite aspect of mile 11: "It was a great first time experience for a group. We look forward to coming back year after year."
xi. Aid Station #11 (Mile 12)
Captain: Tom Deignan
Co-Captain: N/A
Captain's years at aid station: 10
Volunteer groups at mile 12: Automotive High School
Favorite aspect of mile 12: "Watching volunteers experience the energy and excitement of the Marathon for the first time."
xii. Aid Station #12 (Mile 13)
Captain: Allison Witkowski
Co-Captain: Candy Cobo
Captain' years at aid station: 2
Volunteer groups at mile 13: Williamsburg Charter High School, York College
Favorite aspect of mile 13: "I love being at mile 13 it is at the end of Brooklyn, we have plenty of space and lots of nice people that live in the area that come and help out. The people are very friendly to the staff that is volunteering. The gas station attendant gives our students discounts for working hard. Everyone at Mile 13 works great together."
xiii. Aid Station #13 (Mile 14)
Captain: Kirsten Jensen
Co-Captain: Maria Suarez
Captain's years at aid station: 8
Volunteer groups at mile 14: College Point Road Runners, Girl Scout Troop 4213, Boy Scout Troop 339, Townsend Harris High School, Grover Cleveland High School, Baruch College
Favorite aspect of mile 14: "We are an energetic Mile excited about the big race. We always look forward to seeing the same volunteers every year which makes the NYC Marathon the best race in the world."
xiv. Aid Station #14 (Mile 15)
Captain: Jerry Walsh
Co-Captain: George Stamdaites
Captain's years at aid station: 23
Volunteer groups at mile 15: DutchKills Civic association, Academy of American Studies High School, New Comers High School, Renaissance School of Jackson Heights, Young Women’s Leadership Academy, Roachdale Runners club, PS 112 Families, Girl Scout Troop #4199, Oculus Corp.
Favorite aspect of mile 15: "My favorite part about mile 15 is when all the volunteers are waiting for the first runner to come. Then it starts. The amassing look on their faces as it just gets so powerful and is overcome by the 38,000 runners or so. The kids they count every cup of water they give out. They have a contest amongst themselves. Without all 175 volunteers; it would never happen at mile 15.I thank each and every one of them. This has become a family day for some of us. My own two children were 4 & 5 years old when they started handing out water. One is going to be 30 and the other one will be 27 years old this year. The New York City Marathon has become an important part of all our lives!"
xv. Aid Station #15 (Mile 16)
Captain: C.B. Capell
Co-Captain: N/A
Captain's years at aid station: 24
Volunteer groups at mile 16: Baruch High School, Patchogue Bedford High School, NYU Stern
Favorite aspect of mile 16: "I have several favorite things about volunteering at The Dawn Sullivan Memorial 16 Mile. The pleasure of seeing many of our volunteers come back year after year; some were single when they started, become engaged, got married and now they bring their children. The inspirational stories and courage of the runners, the energy and smiles of the spectators, and most importantly, the chance to show New York City in a positive light at one of the premier events of the year."
xvi. Aid Station #16 (Mile 17)
Captain: Victor Deleon
Co-Captain: Gary Abasola
Captain's years at aid station: 10 years at aid station, 2nd as Captain.
Volunteer groups at mile 17: Phillipine NY Junior Chamber, Team World Vision
Favorite aspect of mile 17: "We are about one mile from where the runners come off the bridge. They are very thirsty, and we’re so excited to provide them with the hydration they need to go on. We get to see the elite runners too. It’s always fun to see the approach start slow with a trickle of runners, and then eventually growing to a massive band of marathoners."
xvii. Aid Station #17 (Mile 18)
Captain: Ivonne Torres
Co-Captain: Nena Lozada
Captain's years at aid station: 28
Volunteer groups at mile 18: Stanley M. Isaac Neighborhood Center, Brandeis High School, St. Joseph’s Church Girl Scouts, Asphalt Green Triathlon Club, Hilton Hotel, Deer Park employees and their family
Favorite aspect of mile 18: "My favorite aspect would be how youth and adults work hand in hand. It's a great intergenerational experience. Initially, volunteers start working in isolation by the end of the long day everyone is working together. A real collaboration. There have been so many personal highlights for me; however I remember when Stepanie Slyvere ran the NYC Marathon in order to raise money for the Isaacs Center youth. She raised a total of $8,000 that year. It was great to see the youth cheer her as she ran by. On their spare time, they decorated a banner in her name a lot of pride was put into making that banner and it showed that day."
xviii. Aid Station #18 (Mile 19)
Captain: Harriet Turner
Co-Captain: Anthony Turner
Captain's years at aid station: 2
Volunteer groups at mile 19: Odyssey House, Alpha Sigma Phi, Manhattan East
Favorite aspect of mile 19: "The proximity of this particular aid station to the agencies that participate as volunteers makes it easier for the community to get involved and support the event and the runners."
xix. Aid Station #19 (Mile 20)
Captain: Jose Encarnacion
Co-Captain: N/A
Captain's years at aid station: 20
Volunteer groups at mile 20: Hostos Community College, Liberty Partnerships, Arista National Honor Society, ISLA, MS 399, FDNY Explorers, Bronx Prep Charter School
Favorite aspect of mile 20: "My favorite aspect of mile 20 is when we give the leftover water to the nearby senior citizens center."
xx. Aid Station #20 (Mile 21)
Captain: Russell Shuler
Co-Captain: Jonathan Taylor
Captain's years at aid station: 30
Volunteer groups at mile 21: Poland Spring, YES Inc., Lincoln House group, Lenox Terrace Group, Beacon, Amistad Dual Language School 311
Favorite aspect of mile 21: "The Meet & Greet is the experience. We love the people (Volunteers, Spectators and Runners) and we love doing the event!"
xxi. Aid Station #21 (Mile 22)
Captain: Jim Murray
Co-Captain: Al Eford
Captain's years at aid station: 22
Volunteer groups at mile 22: Legacy High School of Integrated Studies, High School for Environment Studies, Girl Scout Troop 3103, Congregation B'Nai Jeshurun, Korean Road Runners Club, Academy Inc.
Favorite aspect of mile 22: "Seeing all of the other co-captains and community members come back year after year and getting together with them to make the Harlem aid stations the best in the Marathon."
xxii. Aid Station #22 (Mile 23)
Captain: Marcus Mardirosian
Co-Captain: Jake Lasala
Captain's years at aid station: 15
Volunteer groups at mile 23: Continental Airlines
Favorite aspect of mile 23: "The reason I keep coming back is to share in the joy and triumph of the runners for a brief few seconds as they pass by our fluid station."
xxiii. Aid Station #23 (Mile 24)
Captain: Marty Tracey
Co-Captain: Adam Holdren
Captain's years at aid station: 2
Volunteer Groups at mile 24: FrontRunners Club, Congretation Rodpeh, XC Varsity Track Team
Favorite aspect of mile 24: "My favorite part about working at the Mile 24 Water Station is the sense of community. We all get to be involved in carrying out a great feat (i.e. - providing water and Gatorade to 1000's of marathoners). It is absolutely one of my favorite events in New York throughout the year."
xxiv. Aid Station #24 (Mile 25)
Captain: Julia Levy
Co-Captain: Joanne Lieberman
Captain's years at aid station: This will be our second as volunteers and our first as captains
Volunteer groups at mile 25: Cornell University Alum., Deloitte, Duke Club of NY, Verizon Pioneers
Favorite aspect of mile 25: "Everyone is so excited since they are almost at the finish! It's an incredible feeling to join together with generations of Cornell alumni, from the most recent graduating class to older classes, in order to cheer on generations of NYC marathon runners. As we hand cup of waters to the runners in their final stretch, we feel so humbled knowing that we have the opportunity to play a small role to encourage them to complete the race. We only hope that we can capture this feeling and have it stay with our alumni throughout the year as we stay connected like the runners to reach our individual and collective goals."
