Every March when Tara Wildszewski tightens up her sneakers and prepares to head out into the crisp air for the 5K run, she thinks of her son, Malcolm. He was just two when he died of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) in May 2020, but the ache she feels for his loss remains as fresh as the day it happened.
She and her wife, Rev. Kimberly Wildszewski, established the run in his honor and to raise funds for SUDC research.
The course starts at the Pennington Montessori School and winds through residential streets. Along the route, runners will see a sign that reads, “Smile Like Malcolm — You’ll Run Faster.” Its effect, Malcolm’s parents say, is simple.
“It makes people smile and pick up their pace,” Wildszewski says.
Across the greater Princeton area, nonprofit-hosted 5Ks are preparing to line up once again as race season gets underway. From memorial runs to trail fundraisers and free weekly gatherings, these events support a range of local causes. What participants rarely see is the network of volunteers, permits and partnerships that keeps them running year after year.
Organizational models vary. Some groups partner with organizations that provide turnkey support, such as SUDC for Miles for Malcolm or Run the Vineyards for the Hopewell Valley Vineyards Wine Run 5K. Others, such as HomeFront, Good Grief and LHT, use internal resources as they aim for large turnouts to sustain long-term programming.
Volunteers are indispensable for many of these events and benefit likewise, whether they are earning service credit, building résumés or simply showing up to help.
Miles for Malcolm represents one model for a fundraising run, where the Wildszewski family transformed personal loss during the pandemic into a meaningful annual tradition honoring Malcolm.
“We immediately started imagining ways to honor him … because both of us are runners, a run felt natural,” Tara said.
The SUDC Foundation receives 100% of proceeds and uses its resources to oversee all aspects of the event. Local businesses help cover remaining costs. The Wildszewskis handle certain expenses, including T-shirts, kids’ activities and police road closures. Volunteers, including physical therapists leading warmups, School of Rock musicians and teachers from Malcolm’s school, staff the event.
When weather worries arise, Tara reassures Kimberly.
“Remember why you’re doing it. Even if 10 people show up, it will still be beautiful.”
Building on this model of transforming personal stories to community action, HomeFront’s annual run amplifies its mission of supporting families in need.
“It’s incredibly complex to put together,” development director Cassie Jaeger said. She named “police, EMS, permits, port-a-potties, signage, timing” as core logistics.
Participants can also form teams to raise additional funds for HomeFront’s services. The event features a 5K, a 1-mile walk and a preschool pumpkin dash. Children’s activities and sponsor tables round out the morning. School of Rock, a music school neighboring HomeFront’s Lawrenceville center, plays at the start line.
Jaeger says this “makes it a fun starting line.” She continues, “Success isn’t just the dollars raised — it’s returning participants, new volunteers and partnerships that continue after race day.”
While HomeFront addresses essential needs like food, shelter and clothing, another organization supports families in a different way. Good Grief meets emotional needs through peer support groups, grief education and community advocacy. “Physical activity is one of the good ways to deal with strong emotions,” executive director Christian Heiss said. The Good Grief 5K offers grieving families an additional space beyond support groups to spend time together.
Participants may form family or memorial teams, with optional donations supporting Good Grief’s free programs. Children’s events are especially loved.
“The 2-year-olds only have to run the width of this room — and then they get a medal. They think they’re running five miles,” development manager Christine Molino said, laughing.
Good Grief’s Princeton race draws inspiration from its Morristown 5K, which attracts nearly 1,000 participants.
“Some people have never heard of Good Grief, and that’s the first way they discover us,” Heiss said.
Shifting from supporting families to supporting shared outdoor spaces is the Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) 5K, “Complete the Loop.” The race draws on Rosedale Park’s extensive experience of hosting active outdoor events. The event includes a DJ, partner tables, a 1-mile fun run and a 5K course that runs along Rosedale Lake and into Mercer Meadows in Pennington.
Information about the Complete the Loop 5K is posted at Rosedale Park where the race begins. PHOTO | Julia Heinrich
“The LHT loop construction is funded through other sources,” operations manager Claire Wille said. “This 5K helps sustain our staff, our year-round activities and our relationships with our property partners.” She added, “We want runners to leave excited about the future of the LHT.”
At the opposite end of the spectrum of race models, the Institute Woods 6K focuses on the running experience itself rather than fundraising.
“The main objective is the activity, not raising money for another cause,” race director Lawren Smithline said.
He added that “the legal entity responsible is Princeton Athletic Club, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization set up for the purpose.”
He assures the Institute for Advanced Study neighbors that the 6K will be nondisruptive, similar to a piano recital:
“There is some applause at the beginning; then the runners take off … it is so quiet you could hear a pin drop … then applause at the end … and everyone goes home.”
High school sports teams often volunteer, and PAC donates from the proceeds to their booster clubs.
In contrast to this minimalist approach, another model pairs commercial partners with nonprofits.
That occurred when Wine Run 5K approached Hopewell Valley Vineyards (HVV) to host a fundraiser benefiting their charity, which is Pennington Adult Living Services (PALS). PALS was founded by vineyard owners Sergio and Violetta Neri and Svein Hansen, a specialist in developmental disabilities. HVV provides the venue and leaves the donation logistics between PALS and Wine Run 5K.
Neri highlighted one PALS participant, Jack.
“He’s a savant. Tell him your date of birth and he’ll tell you what day it was,” she said.
She explained that PALS serves more than 50 families. “We call them participants because they take part in a program that gives them space, grace, ability, understanding.”
Across these events, organizers say races become more than fundraisers. They honor families, highlight open spaces and help local traditions endure.
Before Malcolm’s run begins, toddlers take part in a brief fun run, some dressed as inflatable Pikachus or Baby Sharks. Afterward, children and spectators are entertained by activities such as face painting, balloon artists and games.
For Malcolm’s family these moments capture what they hope the event represents.
“Hearing his name called out by hundreds of voices is life-giving … it pulls him into the present,” Kimberly Wildszewski said.
Upcoming Community Runs/Walks (Greater Princeton • 2026)
| Race | Date | Event | Venue | Registration Link | Organizer | Beneficiary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Apr 11 | Institute Woods 6K (trail) | Princeton Friends School campus | Registration Link | Princeton Athletic Club (501c3) | Community fitness / PAC event ops |
 | Apr 18 | Hopewell Valley 5K & Fun Run | Pennington (town) | Registration Link | Hopewell Valley PTO | School & community programs |
 | Apr 18 | Walk MS | Hamilton — Veterans Park | Registration Link | National MS Society | National MS Society (MS services) |
 | Apr 25 | Miles for Malcolm (5K/5‑Mile) | Pennington Montessori | Registration Link | Family‑run | SUDC Foundation (awareness/support) |
 | May 2 | LHT “Complete the Loop” 5K | Rosedale Park | Registration Link | Lawrence Hopewell Trail | LHT (trails & open space) |
 | May 3 | Breast Cancer Warrior Walk (1‑mile) | Princeton (town) | Registration Link | YWCA Princeton | Breast cancer support (YWCA Princeton) |
 | May 9 | Hopewell Valley Vineyards Wine Run 5k | Pennington | Registration Link | The Wine Run 5k / Hopewell Valley Vineyards | PALS (Pennington Adult Learning Services) |
 | May 10 | AAPI 5K Run & Walk Princeton | Carnegie Center Drive | Registration Link | Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) | AAPI, Financial Intelligence (IFI), Where Music Carries Us (WMCU), and the Museum of Chinese In America (MOCA) |
 | May 17 | Good Grief 5K Run & Walk. MCCC | Mercer County Community College | Grief support | Grief support | |
 | May 23 | Run to Remember (3M/6M/Pup Strut) | Hamilton (venue varies) | Registration Link” | NJ Veterans Network | NJ Veterans Network (veterans services) |
 | June 21 | The Watershed Institute’s Annual Solstice Trail Run | Watershed Institute, Pennington/Hopewell | Registration Link | Watershed Institute | Environmental education |
 | June 27 | ETS Firecracker 5k | ETS campus | Registration Link | YWCA Princeton + ETS | Pearl Bates Scholarship Fund |
 | Sept 12 | Helene Cody 5K and Fun Run | Heritage Park, Cranbury | Registration Link | Helene Cody Foundation | Helene Cody Foundation |
 | Oct 6 | Eden Autism 5K & Fun Run/Walk | Hamilton (town) | Registration Link | Eden Autism Services | Eden Autism Services (programs) |
 | Oct 11 | Run for Dad | Mercer County Park | Registration Link | America Cancer Society | Prostate Cancer Awareness |
 | Oct 11 | Cerebral Palsy Awareness 5K | Veterans Park | Registration Link | Strides 4 Gianluca & Cooper’s Cartel | CP awareness (see race site) |
 | Oct 25 | HomeFront Halloween 5K & 1 Mile Walk | Lawrence Township | Registration Link | Homefront | Homelessness services |
 | Oct 18 | St. Paul “Lion’s Chase” 5K & 1K fun run | Rosedale Park | Registration Link | St. Paul School of Princeton | School fundraising |
 | Nov 24 | Hopewell Valley Turkey Trot | Pennington | Registration Link | Various | Wrestling programs and food pantry |
Source & Notes: Compiled from race organizers’ websites, RunSignUp, and Find a Race. Note: dates and details may change check registration links.
