Catholic Transcript Online

Charlie Chatterton starts his 41st marathon at St. Bridget School in Manchester with students, from left, Kearney Worthington, Jennifer Colla, Natalie Kopiec and Caleb Hornbostel. (Photo by Lenora Sumsky)

MANCHESTER – Charlie Chatterton has been pounding the pavement for 40 months, running marathon after marathon to raise awareness of poverty in America.

Dr. Chatterton, an associate professor at Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic and parishioner of St. Bridget Church in Manchester, has been running marathons for more than a decade.  In September 2006, he determined to combine his passion for running with his commitment to raising awareness of poverty in America.

He set out to run one marathon for every one million Americans living in poverty.

“Charlie is very passionate about poverty.  He actually picked 37 marathons because that’s how many poor people there were in the country. He said he was going to do 37 marathons and then one for good luck,” said John Ryan, pastoral associate at St. Bridget Church.

“A couple months ago, just about [the time he finished his 36th marathon], they changed the numbers. Now, there are 40 million poor people in the country, so he just kept going,” said Mr. Ryan.

Dr. Chatterton ran nearly 1,100 miles in 41 marathons in New Orleans and Washington and in a total of 10 states up and down the eastern seaboard, making more than a million strides to break the cycle of poverty.

“It’s not about the running; it’s about poverty awareness,” said Dr. Chatterton, who called his effort Taking Strides to Brake the Cycle of Poverty Initiative. “A few years ago, I didn’t know much about poverty except that it existed.”

In 2003, Dr. Chatterton developed an appreciation and understanding of domestic poverty during a week-long bike trip with 25 other parishioners. The parish bicycling team, called Brake the Cycle of Poverty, rode 300 miles from Manchester to Washington, D.C., where they met up with a group of cyclists who had ridden more than 3,000 miles from San Francisco.

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development sponsored the 2003 Brake the Cycle of Poverty Bike Tour from San Francisco to Washington to focus attention on poverty in the United States and engage Catholics in working to promote permanent solutions.

“It was my first really enlightening experience with regard to poverty. I learned a lot during the trip and had the chance to interact with and meet people who were living in poverty.  It really opened my eyes,” said Dr. Chatterton.

“One thing I try to do through all these marathons, with regard to poverty awareness, is to encourage people to use their talents to make a positive difference,” said Dr. Chatterton.

“All of us can do something,” he told students assembled in the gymnasium at St. Bridget School, where he began his 41^st marathon – the one for good luck – on Dec. 22. 

Dr. Chatterton used thought-provoking comments and personal anecdotes to encourage students to think, talk and do something about poverty in this country and specifically in the state of Connecticut.

“You could fill [the seats of] Rentschler Field more than two times with just Connecticut children who are living in poverty,” he told students.

“I’ll be uncomfortable today and I’m gonna get tired, but I’ll have lots of support; and afterwards, I’ll have a nice meal, nice house to go to and a nice bed to sleep in. But many people that live in poverty may not have all those options,” he said.

Before Dr. Chatterton set out on the marathon, Father Stephen Sledesky, Pastor of St. Bridget Church, led students in a blessing and prayer.  Students moved outside, held colorful “Go Charlie” signs, and cheered as six middle school students ran a lap around the playground/parking lot with Dr. Chatterton.

The 26.2-mile route that began at the school coursed through snow-covered neighborhoods in Manchester and Vernon to Skinner Road School in Vernon, where two of Dr. Chatterton’s children are students.

State Sen. Tony Guglielmo and State Reps. Ryan Barry, Claire Janowski and Joan Lewis were on hand to present a citation from the Connecticut General Assembly recognizing Dr. Chatterton for his Taking Strides to Brake the Cycle of Poverty Initiative. They also presented a statement from Gov. Mr. Jodi Rell that recognized and thanked Dr. Chatterton and officially designated December 22 as Charlie Chatterton Day.

“The approximately 1,078-mile journey adventure concluded as I reached my revised goal of completing 41 marathons dedicated to the 39.8 million U.S. citizens living in the poverty condition,” he said. “I have been blessed to be able to complete the marathons with more than 160 hours of running, shuffling and walking.”

In addition to increasing awareness of poverty, Dr. Chatterton’s initiative has raised nearly $11,000 for several nonprofit organizations that work to promote self sufficiency and alleviate poverty. The groups include The Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Holy Family Home and Shelter in Willimantic, Cornerstone Foundation in Vernon, Back on My Feet in Philadelphia and the New Orleans Recreation Department.