Friends of Kell get boost from BAA

Shut out of this spring's Boston Marathon?

Well, here's a way to get in the 116th edition of the country's most prestigious race while helping raise money to erect a statue of the late Johnny Kelley, the 1957 Boston winner, along River Road in Mystic, one of his favorite training routes.

The Friends of Kell, a local nonprofit group that formed last fall after his death to put up the life-size statue, has secured five of the prized numbers from the Boston Athletic Association, which organizes the race.

Coincidentally, Kelley is the only BAA member to have ever won the race.

Called "invitational entries," the BAA hands out a limited number each year. The BAA suggests that groups who receive them try and collect $4,000 for each number.

That contribution can come from the individual getting the number, fundraising by the runner, corporate donations or a combination of the three.

All the money collected from the numbers will go towards the estimated $100,000 cost of the bronze statue. So far The Friends of Kell has raised $10,000, including a $2,000 donation from the BAA.

Jim Roy, chairman of The Friends of Kell, said Wednesday that three of the numbers have already been spoken for, leaving just two.

The BAA would like the numbers reserved by Feb. 15 so runners can register for the race.

Roy said that if the effort is a success - selling all five numbers would triple the statue fund - the BAA may offer the group more numbers for the 2013 race.

"This has been easy to promote because everyone loved the guy," he said.

Still, the group has a long road ahead of it to get to the $100,000 number.

I suggested to Roy that maybe for the first time a small fee, maybe $10 or so, be charged at the 50th annual John and Jessie Kelley Road race in August as way to help pay for the statue. The 11.6-mile race at Ocean Beach Park in New London, has always been free.

Roy said the always humble Kelley would not have wanted a fee charged to pay for a statue of him. But he said people will be able to voluntarily make a donation on the day of the race.

Roy said that he has also talked to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection about placing the statue on state land across from the River Road boat launch but he had not yet received permission from the agency.

Roy said he has also been contacted by the sculptor who created the Whale Tail fountain in downtown New London about working on the statue. But Roy said he wants to get input from the Kelley family before moving ahead with any decision about the design.

Roy can be reached at info@johnkelley.org. More information about the statue and donations can be made at www.johnkelley.org.

Donations can also be sent to Roy at John Kelley Memorial Fund, c/o Jim Roy, 58 Cottage Street Groton, CT 06340.

Joe Wojtas is The Day's running columnist.