By Anonymous (not verified), October 24, 2025
By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
October 24, 2025-The 14th Annual Marianne Volpe 5K and Pumpkin Fun Run takes place this Saturday, October 25 at Baldwin Harbor Park.
Blood cancer support is important to the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) because of the life of Marianne Volpe. The Baldwin resident was 56 years old when she died of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), an aggressive form of blood cancer, leaving behind her husband Jim, daughters Chelsea and Shaun, three brothers, five sisters and countless friends. There are many stories of extraordinary people like Marianne whose lives are cut tragically short by this horrible disease.
Marianne Volpe
Jim is a Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) and Eastern New York Hall of Famer, an ENYYSA Trustee who served as Director of the Eastern New York Olympic Development Program (ODP) for over a decade. Both Chelsea and Shaun grew up playing in the LIJSL, then played for Manhattan College and are still involved in the game today. The family started the Marianne Volpe 5K and Pumpkin Fun Run the day before Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and both the soccer and running communities have been helping out ever since.
More than $300,000 has been raised for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), which has helped advance 55 of the 65 blood cancer treatment options approved by the FDA since 2017. It's the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding research towards cures for blood cancers. Since its inception in 1949, the Society has provided more than $1.2 billion to research specifically targeting blood cancers and its mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma.
Shaun, Jim and Chelsea Volpe
This Saturday, the kids’ half-mile run dubbed the Pumpkin Fun Run (for ages 10 and younger) is at 9:00 am and it’s free. The Marianne Volpe 5K starts at 9:30 am.
In addition to utilizing the website, you can also send a donation check made payable to The Leukemia & Lymphoma’s Society to:
LLS Northeast Territory
LLS - PO Box 22470
New York, NY 10087-2470
For more information about the Marianne Volpe 5K and Pumpkin Fun Run, please contact Jim Volpe at 516-805-3765.