Hot Chocolate Run History

Jen Dieringer has been running 5ks and 10ks and more for as long as she can remember. Her husband, John Frey, has been organizing, promoting and participating in running and cycling events for over 10 years, and in 1999 founded his business, Velocity Results, which provides race results for cycling and running races. Their combined interest in and experience with the sport of running sparked the enthusiasm that led to the first ever Mayor Higgins’ Hot Chocolate Run in 2004.

That the event was created to serve as a fundraiser for Safe Passage, the Hampshire County non-profit agency that supports survivors of domestic violence and their children, was a reflection of Jen's long-standing commitment to that issue, as reflected in her work as a legal services attorney and as a member of the Safe Passage Board of Directors. As a longtime advocate for children and a good friend to Safe Passage, Northampton Mayor Mary Clare Higgins willingly embraced the vision and the event as the title sponsor, and has led the walk every year.

After months of enlisting volunteers, gathering donated goods and services, collecting financial support and registering participants, Jen, John and the Northampton community hosted the first annual Mayor Higgins Hot Chocolate Run. On a drizzly, cold morning when most people were still sleeping or groggily planning out their holiday shopping over coffee, over 200 runners and 250 walkers ran, walked and raised $6000 for Safe Passage. The turnout was beyond Jen and John’s wildest expectations, and in fact, they ran out of mugs, something that has never happened since! The energy and enthusiasm of the participants and supportive bystanders convinced us that this simply had to become an annual event.

Indeed, each year the number of sponsors and participants has soared, as has the amount of money the event has raised to benefit Safe Passage. The second year saw a doubling both of participants and proceeds to Safe Passage, and in the third year, 2006, the numbers doubled once again, with over 1700 participants, including Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray, running, walking, drinking 120 gallons of hot chocolate and raising $30,000 for Safe Passage. In 2007, the numbers increased yet again, and 2200 participants and sponsors raised $45,000 for Safe Passage. In 2008, we continued to break records with 3000 participants (making us the second largest road race in western Massachusetts) raising $60,000.

The Hot Chocolate Run is truly a collaborative effort involving a huge number and variety of the Valley’s businesses and business people. The event’s icons, the Penguin and the Polar Bear, were conceived of by Florence-based nationally syndicated cartoonist Hilary B. Price, who creates a new logo every year, making the mugs that the logo appears on quite the coveted item, and one of the reasons participants come back year after year. From the very first year, Northampton Coffee (a locally owned coffee shop that enjoyed such success that a second store, Amherst Coffee, was opened not long after the first) has donated the cocoa powder and sugar for the hot chocolate.

When the committee finally conceded that the participant numbers were simply too big to be rising at 4:00 a.m. to brew the chocolate in Jen and John’s kitchen and in local church kitchens, local businesses The Hotel Northampton, Spoleto Restaurant, Eastside Grill and Sierra Grille generously stepped forward to fill that role.

In 2009, we will use 233 gallons of milk , 60 pounds of cocoa powder, 200 pounds of sugar, 233 ounces of vanilla and 100 pounds of marshmallows to make an estimated 3500 cups of steaming hot chocolate in the giant vat at Northampton Brewery, which will then be speedily and environmentally delivered to the event site by Pedal People, a Northampton business that picks up and hauls trash by bicycle.

This year also brings a new location, as we have now twice outgrown our locations. We’ll be starting, finishing and celebrating in the parking lot at Old South St. and Crafts Avenue. We expect to welcome 3500 walkers and runners, loads of fans to cheer them on , and hope to raise over $70,00 to support Safe Passage. See you on December 5th!

2004 Results

2005 Results

2006 Results

2007 Results

2008 Results