Saint John’s Gets Set for Marathon

Juliet McShannon
Staff Writer

March 18 -- More than 200 celebrities, corporate representatives and heath care workers gathered at Spago's Tuesday night to help kick off the upcoming 23rd Annual Saint John's Jimmy Stewart Relay Marathon.

Taking place at Griffith Park on April 18, the largely corporate-sponsored event, which is the largest five-person relay marathon in the United States, raises money for the health center, which is set to open its new campus this year.

"There is nothing like it," says Burt Garavaglia, a member of the Relay Marathon Committee, who works for Farmer's Insurance. “It's not hard to get people in the company to sign up. Once they do, they are hooked and want to run every year."

"It's a bit like Thanksgiving and Christmas combined," said Ed Hallen, a runner with Occidental Petroleum Corporation. "All those familiar faces and great stage presentations…. And of-course we believe in the Jimmy Stewart cause."

Celebrities will be out in force to support the marathon, including Jose Solano, who catapulted to fame as the lead in the hit television show, Baywatch.

"I want to help those people who are suffering, who need an operation, but can't afford it," Solano said.

Solano will be joining one of the teams in the Media Invitational Relay Challenge, a division of the Marathon that has been added for the first time this year. Participants include KTLA, KCBS, KNBC, KCAL9, Access Hollywood, surfsantamonica.com and various newspaper groups.

Since the first race was held in 1982, $8.2 million has been raised for Saint John's Health Center.

Corporate sponsorship is vital to the continued fund-raising success of the marathon, said Bob Klein, vice president of the Saint John's Health Center Foundation.

"Twenty years ago running was the craze, and it was not as difficult to secure corporate sponsorship,” Klein said. “There are not as many people running today, and many corporations are not domiciled in Los Angeles to generate financial support."

One of the longstanding corporate sponsors, Lexus, has donated $100,000 to St John's for the past four years, and hopes to continue to do so.

"We have been the title sponsor for thirteen years now and have contributed over $ 1.1 million to the cause," said Lexus representative Eric Anderson. "There is nothing more rewarding than helping families in need and giving back to the community."

Robert Wagner, who is once again the marathon’s master of ceremonies, thanked the Lexus Dealership of Southern California, before accepting this year’s $100,000 check. "I urge you to go by a Lexus dealer before you race!" he joked.

Wagner, who was hand-picked by Stewart to co-host the event, was joined on stage by Saint John's President Sister Marie Madeleine and Jimmy Stewart's children, Kelly Harcourt and Michael McLean.

"It's hard to believe that twenty years have passed since Jimmy Stewart asked me to co-host this marathon,” Wagner said. “Thank you all for keeping the race running."

Harcourt took the opportunity to announce that Wagner would be this year’s recipient of the Harvey Award, which will be presented by the Jimmy Stewart Museum at a celebrity tribute dinner in Indiana, Pennsylvania.

"Our family owes a special debt to Robert Wagner," she said, to which Wagner, visibly moved, replied, "I loved your father and mother. We love you all."

Bruce Lamoureux, Saint John’s CEO, felt the evening had been a success. “Tonight's cocktail reception has enabled Saint John's to acknowledge all the sponsors who so generously support and assist us to make it all happen," he said.

Asked whether he was thinking of running in the marathon, Lamoureux, smiling, replied, " I will think about it, yes, think about it!"

The marathon, Wagner said, will be "a real family day."

"I want it to be an all-American day, with picnics, and a coming together of families," he said.