On a Sunday in May, the Roxbury School families took part in the first “Carry on Karen’s Kindness” walk at Horseshoe Lake. More than 300 people including about 90 children under the age of 10 walked, ran, and participated in different outdoor activities around Horseshoe Lake. Together, the walk raised $8,000.

“It was a fantastic event, much larger than we could have ever anticipated,” said one event organizer and Jefferson School teacher, Dana Taggart. “Our goal was to raise $5,000 and have maybe 100 people participate. We succeeded beyond our wildest imaginations.”

Staff members from Jefferson School came together and designed a day that would honor Karen Lunardoni and raise money for the National Brain Tumor Society.

Taggart went on to say, “People came out to honor Mrs. Lunardoni, to support Jefferson School, or because someone they love and care for is affected by brain tumors. Whatever the motivation, we were so grateful for the support of the Roxbury Community.”

Lunardoni worked for the district for 16 years, first as an elementary teacher, then as a district supervisor, before becoming the Jefferson School Principal in 2005. She was set to retire in September of 2015, but passed away a month earlier from a brain tumor.

Lunardoni was a Roxbury resident and she raised her three grown children in the district.

One friend and participant had this to say of Karen, “One of the most important things that Mrs. Lunardoni shared with us is that family comes first. Her family was her everything. She cherished her time spent with three dogs, Lily, Rosie, and Daisy and her husband Mark. She was so proud of her three wonderful grown children. If you walked into Mrs. Lunardoni’s house or office, you know her grandchildren were the apple of her eye. We were so lucky to have all of her grandchildren, Topher, Althea, Ella, and Julia with us at the walk, along with their parents and grandfather!”

Donations are still being accepted online for the National Brain Tumor Society at https://nbtsevents.braintumor.org/succasunna/events/carry-karens-kindness-walk/run/e78404. 

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