The Hoyt Foundation January Newsletter

From the Office of the President

Team Hoyt and The Hoyt Foundation celebrated many events and milestones in 2025 here are just a few highlights:

January 2025 we congratulated “Big Zee” on his journey from being a charity runner for Team Hoyt to running fast enough to become a qualified runner in the Boston Marathon. We also welcomed our newest chapter Team Hoyt Denver.

February 2025, we supported our Boston Marathon runners both in their training with a water stop at the Johnny Kelley Statue in Newton & their fundraising as we attended JJ’s amazing event in Malden.

March 2025 together with the Metrowest YMCA we presented the Inspiration Award to Tim Kilduff and our honorary Duo in the Boston marathon – Brendan Aylward & Jacob Wyman. Since it was March, we even had a little St. Patrick’s Day fun with the Team Hoyt statue at the start line in Hopkinton.

April 2025 Russ was given the honor of being the official starter for the Duo teams at the Boston Marathon start in Hopkinton; we hosted our charity team at the pasta dinner and celebrated their incredible Marathon runs at the 129th Boston Marathon.

May 2025, we celebrated Dad & Rick at the Team Hoyt Memorial with a 5-mile run, 2 Mile walk and Kids Race. REMEMBER THE 2026 RACE IS ON APRIL 11th - TeamHoytTaper

June 2025 in partnership with the Flutie Foundation we provided the highest ever amount of $60,000 in grant awards to support the inclusion of individuals with disabilities.

July 2025, we participated in the Easterseals Bridge to Opportunities Golf Classic and donated $50,000 to the Easterseals of Massachusetts.

August 2025 we were once again the Sponsor the Duo Division for the Falmouth Road Race and were blessed with an incredible charity team running the race and raising funds to allow us to continue our mission.

September 2025, we introduced our new Program Director – Amy Pepe.

October 2025 we were the Inclusion Sponsor of the Hockomock YMCA Legends Ball (FUN FACT - Dad & Rick were the first non-Patriot player recipients of the award in 2012).

November 2025 found us in San Antonio Texas celebrating Andrew McAllister and Ross Ormond as the first ever 6-star Duo team!

December 2025, we ended the year by ushering in the Holidays as the featured not for profit at the 31 Nights of Lights ceremony as Team Hoyt lit up the Prudential in our Red, White, Blue colors on December 1st.

The Hoyt Family, Team Hoyt and The Hoyt Foundation hope you can take time to appreciate all the great things that came last year, and we are excited about what lies ahead in 2026.

As we turn the page on another year, we take pause and express our deep gratitude for the community that surrounds The Hoyt Foundation and for the shared belief that inclusion truly matters.

We invite you to celebrate what's been made possible — and to look forward with us to the year ahead and the power of a community united around inclusion.

2026 Yes You Can Inclusion Grant

Applications Now Open!

Today – January 10th – marks the opening of our grant cycle for The Dick & Judy Hoyt YES YOU CAN Inclusion Grant and it’s no coincidence that it opens on a special day – Rick’s birthday!

Dick and Judy Hoyt believed their son Rick should never be limited by his disability. Through their advocacy, they ensured he could live, learn, and play alongside his non-disabled peers.

Like Dick and Judy, many families want their child to be able live, learn, and participate alongside their peers – but face financial, adaptive, or access-related barriers that can make inclusion difficult or out of reach. This grant supports meaningful inclusion for individuals with disabilities in activities they love and offers grants up to $10,000 to support:

• Adaptive sports or recreational equipment
• Specialized instruction, coaching, or lessons
• Accessibility modifications that enable participation
• Program fees that allow inclusion alongside non-disabled peers

Applications are open TODAY and we welcome you to apply – or to share this opportunity with someone in your community who might benefit!

Application Timeline:

• Applications Open: January 10, 2026
• Applications Close: March 8, 2026
• Grant Notifications: June 1, 2026

Resolve to Run, Walk, or Roll in 2026 with the 2026 Team Hoyt Memorial Race!

The Team Hoyt Memorial Race — featuring the Team Hoyt Taper — is the perfect way to set a meaningful goal for the New Year!

Now held in April, one week before the Boston Marathon, this family-friendly event brings together runners, walkers, and riders of all ages and abilities to celebrate inclusion and the enduring legacy of Dick and Rick Hoyt. Participants can choose from a 5-mile run, 2-mile walk, or kids race, passing the iconic Boston Marathon Start Line and the Team Hoyt Statue along the way.

Perfectly timed to support Boston Marathon runners during their taper, the race also offers a unique opportunity for the entire community to be part of the energy and excitement in the lead up to Marathon Weekend!

However you take part, we invite you to run, walk, or roll with Team Hoyt this April.

Register Here!

Event Details
When: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Where: Hopkinton, MA
Finisher Prizes | Beer Garden | Ice Cream Truck

Congratulations to Team Rusty!

James Anderson and Rusty Wilkins TEAM RUSTY have been selected to be the Honorary Team Hoyt Duo to run the Boston Marathon as part of the Team Hoyt Charity Team.  Rusty, his mom and James joined Russ and Amy at Hoyt Running Chairs for a special surprise!  Mike DiDonato and his son Mike Jr. shared with Team Rusty that they are building a custom designed chair for them just for Boston!  They get to pick the colors, decals and wheel covers.  This is going to be an amazing chair for an amazing pair.

Stay tuned as we will share updates on the chair as it takes shape leading up to the 130th running of the Boston Marathon.  To learn more about Hoyt Running Chairs visit - https://www.hoytrunningchairs.com/

Mind the Gap… We’re Running London 2027!

The Hoyt Foundation has a lot to look forward to in the year ahead — and for those already dreaming a little further down the road, we have exciting news to share.

Team Hoyt will field its inaugural charity team for the 2027 TCS London Marathon, offering a rare opportunity to represent our mission of inclusion at an Abbott World Major and one of the world’s most sought-after marathon stages. This will mark our second international race for Team Hoyt charity runners, continuing the global momentum of the YES YOU CAN message.

From Boston to Big Ben, the YES YOU CAN message keeps moving — through shared miles, purpose, and the belief that everyone deserves to belong.

Applications are not yet open, however, runners interested in learning more should email us to be added to the interest list. Cheerio!

Heartbreak Hill Striders

The Team Hoyt and Hoyt Foundation President & CEO Russ Hoyt was invited to be the featured speaker at the Heartbreak Hill Striders Holiday Party.  The crowd was thrilled to hear the Team Hoyt story and even shared a few of their own.  Many in the crowd had run alongside Dick and Rick at events all over New England.  Each person had a story of running a strong race when all of a sudden, this guy pushing his kid just flew by.  It was a lot of fun to tell the story and hear the stories of those who have known Team Hoyt.

Club president Larry Keller presented Russ with a check to support Team Hoyt and The Hoyt Foundation in our continued mission of inclusion.

Luke’s First Marathon: A YES YOU CAN Moment

Team Hoyt Arizona runner Michelle Nolen is no stranger to marathon distances; she’s even collected a few Abbott World Major Marathon stars – including Boston, Berlin and Chicago. Her recent participation at the Tucson Marathon, however, marked a very special milestone, as she shared those 26.2 miles with her son Luke in his first-ever marathon distance!

Pushed by his mom and surrounded by a community that believes deeply in the message of YES YOU CAN, Luke crossed the finish line completing his first full marathon with a smile even bigger than his medal – a moment filled with pride, joy, and plenty of emotion.

Their path to the start line was shaped by thoughtful training, flexibility, and determination, including five years of Michelle running ‘solo’ and having Luke old enough to take on the longer distance as a rider.

Says Michelle,

“All of this journey - throughout the year and the race - was powered and elevated by the magic and love of our amazing friends and the Team Hoyt “YES YOU CAN” attitude!”

Together, Luke and Michelle continue to show what’s possible when belief leads the way, while also inspiring other families to imagine what their YES YOU CAN moments might look like! They already have their sights set on new marathon goals in 2026.

“I just really want other parents, guardians and caregivers to know they can push their athletes and themselves and do crazy scary stuff!”

Congrats to Luke and Michelle!

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