AKRON, Ohio — Steve and Jeannine Marks started the Akron Marathon in 2003, and since then, it has generated $133 million in economic impact for the greater Akron community.
“We ran in marathons and we always wondered why Akron didn’t have a marathon. We have a community that would support it,” Steve said. “We sort of naively asked that question to the city of Akron and before you know it, we were in charge of a marathon.”
Since the marathon was founded 20 years ago, it has also raised $6 million for local charities.
“I think the important thing to keep in mind is we started a family foundation, and the usual premises of a foundation is that you donate the investment proceeds to a charitable organization,” Steve said. “So our concept was to sort of start a charitable organization with these funds, so it sprang from that.”
On Monday, Oct. 10, the couple became the 53rd recipients of the Bert A. Polsky Humanitarian Award, an honor the Akron Community Foundation presents each year to an individual or couple that have shown dedication to humanitarian causes in Akron.
“The fact that they thought of us, and the people who are going to be there, and they are part of every community event and everything that we are involved in in the community, so is everyone else that is there,” Jeannine said. “It’s kind of like hanging out with your whole family at night, 400 of your closest friends, and sharing with them and being grateful for what they have given us.”
When Jeannie is not helping her husband with the Akron Marathon, she is busy running Stewart’s Caring Place, of which she is the president and CEO.
“We take care of every age, stage and phase of cancer for people and their families as well,” Jeannine said. “So they can get help understanding the process and the diagnosis and we can help families with finical needs, everything you can think of, we just do all of the wrap around services.”
