Garden City Boy Scout Holds Inaugural Eagle 5K at Adelphi

Story and photos by Matthew Romagnoli

Most 16-year-olds aren’t doing what Garden City resident Jack Aneser does.

The Chaminade High School junior held the first Eagle 5K Run on Sunday at Adelphi University, drawing 200 participants on St. Patrick’s Day and raising more than $3,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Long Island chapter.

Aneser currently holds a position on the junior board of trustees of the Long Island chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

“I thought that would be a good beneficiary since my sister beat leukemia when she was younger,” Jack said. “That’s also a reason I chose this, it won’t be a one time thing and keep giving to the [Leukemia and Lymphoma] society. It was pretty much my first idea…making them the main beneficiary just came naturally.”

In addition to the race Jack also held a shoe drive to benefit Soles for Soles, an organization that collects new and used shoes for the poverty stricken. His sister, Kelly Aneser, is currently a freshman at Garden City High School and was diagnosed with leukemia at age 2, having it go into remission it a couple years later.

“This is a process that has taken a lot of time, a lot of work, a lot of paperwork and seeking approvals,” the 16-year old Eagle Scout candidate said after seeing months worth of work come together. “I probably started getting this idea in my head in October and working towards it little by little.”

In addition to his duties as an Eagle Scout and organizing the race Jack runs cross country and track for Chaminade. “The project itself is tough, helping others is just a really good thing to do,” Jack said. “Selfless is what comes to mind and it’s just a good thing."