Webster Bank Expands Support of RiMaConn Relay with Donation to East Coast Greenway

Contribution will enhance trails in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut and improve access at trail heads

Webster Bank, Presenting Sponsor of the Hartford Marathon FoundationÕs inaugural RiMaConn relay race, announced today it will donate $5,000 to the East Coast Greenway AllianceÕs efforts to protect and enhance trails in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Webster BankÕs grant will focus on the trails used during the RiMaConn Relay, with an emphasis on maintenance, resurfacing, access and amenities.

Last SaturdayÕs sold-out RiMaConn event engaged 700 participants in a day-long race spanning 20 communities in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. The inaugural RiMaConn relay race was produced by the non-profit Hartford Marathon Foundation, which planned race operations to utilize the regionÕs trail system and promote sustainability efforts.

Eighty-five percent of the RiMaConn course utilized scenic segments of the East Coast Greenway, a developing 3,000-mile route connecting cities from Maine to Florida. The RiMaConn region consists of 384 miles Ð more than 10 percent Ð of the entire East Coast Greenway spine route. Nearly 50 percent of the Greenway route in the region Ð 187.5 miles Ð is on protected, off-road trails.

“The investment in multi-use trails has been proven to deliver millions of dollars in health, economic and environmental benefits, and we appreciate the support from Webster Bank to bring the East Coast Greenway to life. Working together with our local partners, we have made tremendous progress toward developing a healthy, sustainable future for thousands of citizens in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut, but we still have work to do,” says East Coast Greenway Alliance Executive Director Dennis Markatos-Soriano. ÒWe thank Webster Bank for this generous donation and congratulate all of the finishers of SaturdayÕs RiMaConn Relay. We hope they return to run our trails after their relay experience.Ó

ÒWebster has a long history of supporting the communities where we live and work, including our ongoing support for renewable energy and our efforts to protect the environment,Ó says Brian Runkle, executive vice president, Operations, Webster Bank. ÒSponsoring the RiMaConn Relay and supporting the East Coast Greenway are just the latest examples of our efforts to promote sustainability and being a good corporate citizen.Ó

ÒWeÕre proud to have brought 700 runners along the East Coast Greenway to experience a unique event that emphasized the importance of sustainable race operations and celebrated the most eco-friendly form of transportation Ð running!Ó said Beth Shluger, founder and CEO of the Hartford Marathon Foundation.

The RiMaConn and East Coast Greenway sponsorships are the latest examples of WebsterÕs commitment to sustainability. Webster invests in energy-efficient solutions at its facilities, including reducing paper and fossil fuel usage, and is active in financing commercial loans for renewable and clean energy, as well as LEED construction. In 2018 alone, Webster entered into approximately $47 million in loans for renewable energy and energy-efficient components

In addition to its financial support, Webster BankÕs RiMaConn relay team and more than twenty employee volunteers participated in the Hartford Marathon FoundationÕs “plogging” event in East Hartford, Conn. on Wednesday, August 14, 2019. ÒPloggingÓ is a Swedish term referring to picking up litter while jogging. The group run and cleanup was free and open to the community.

For more information about the RiMaConn Relay, visit www.hartfordmarathon.com/rimaconn-relay.

About Webster Bank

Webster Financial Corporation is the holding company for Webster Bank, National Association and its HSA Bank division. With $28.9 billion in assets, Webster provides business and consumer banking, mortgage, financial planning, trust, and investment services through 157 banking centers and 308 ATMs. Webster also provides mobile and online banking. Webster Bank owns the asset-based lending firm Webster Business Credit Corporation; the equipment finance firm Webster Capital Finance Corporation; and HSA Bank, a division of Webster Bank, which provides health savings account trustee and administrative services. Webster Bank is a member of the FDIC and an equal housing lender. For more information about Webster, including past press releases and the latest annual report, visit the Webster website at www.websterbank.com.

About The East Coast Greenway

The East Coast Greenway is a walking and biking route stretching 3,000 miles from Maine to Florida, connecting the nationÕs most populated corridor. The East Coast Greenway is designed to transform the 15 states and 450 communities it connects through active and healthy lifestyles, sustainable transportation, community engagement, climate resilience, tourism, and more. The Greenway offers a safe place for bicyclists, walkers, runners, and more Ñ of all ages and abilities Ñ to commute, exercise, and visit new destinations. Learn more: www.greenway.org.

About the Hartford Marathon Foundation

The Hartford Marathon Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit organization founded in 1994 to create and manage fitness events that inspire people to be healthy and fit. Located in Glastonbury, Connecticut, the Hartford Marathon Foundation organizes 32 annual athletic events, including the Eversource Hartford Marathon. For more information, visit www.HartfordMarathon.com and on Facebook at HMF Events.

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CONTACT:

Alice Ferreira, Webster Bank, 203-578-2610, [email protected]
John Martin, East Coast Greenway Alliance, 919-362-6422, [email protected]

Elizabeth Cowles, CJ Public Relations, 860-426-9991 ext. 20, [email protected]

The opinions and views in this blog post are those of the authors, and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All loans are subject to the normal credit approval process.