Bartlett & Grippe Hot COCO 2023

Saturday, November 11, 2023

Norton School
414 North Brooksvale Road
Cheshire, CT 06410

Hot COCO race logo, 5K, Kids Fun Run, 1-Mile Walk

2023 Results and Photos Here!

Full race results posted by JB Sports at this link: HOT COCO RESULTS.

Did our photographer Anthony Cipriano catch you at the event or on the course? His photos are available for FREE to download on our Flickr Site. All are high resolution suitable for printing and framing. They’ll be up until next year’s event.

As of November 14, noon, all photos are now available (more than 300).

Use this link: HOT COCO PHOTOS.

Download Photos for Free from our Flickr Site.

Sign Up Here to Run or Walk

Our race manager is again JB Sports. They put on the best events. Together with volunteers and staff from Abilities Without Boundaries, you’ll find one of the most enjoyable fall season walk/runs in Connecticut. Packet pickup is Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. and you’ll be done before noon. There’s plenty of free parking. We offer something for everyone! Our 5K route starts from Norton School in Cheshire and runs along the beautiful Farmington Canal Linear Trail. The 1 Mile Walk takes you through some of Cheshire’s toniest neighborhoods. And the Kid’s Fun Run is conducted right there on the school’s athletic fields. We offer FREE race day photos.

The first 450 5K or Walk registrants receive a long-sleeve tech tee. Top 5K finishers receive a coveted Hot COCO mug. That includes top 3 male and female finishers in these age categories: 12 & Under, 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79 & 80+. Plus every Kid’s Fun Run participant receives a ribbon.

There’s always a wonderful post-race party with good food and plenty of hot cocoa. Our sponsors always come prepared with lots of great giveaways.

Hot COCO award mug

Can’t Join Us?
You Can Still Donate for a Great Cause!

We rely upon our racers, sponsors and fundraising to support our programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The individuals we serve are wonderful people who find themselves in difficult situations through no fault of their own. They deal with challenges most of us can only imagine. Your support is needed to help us fund special programs and opportunities.

Donations are appreciated in any amount . . . especially in these difficult times.

Sponsorship opportunities are on this page. We are depending upon our local businesses for their support again this year. Here’s the list of last year’s supporters.

Hot COCO 5K runners

Walk to Talk

Help our individuals “unlock” their thoughts.

Nearly half of individuals we serve have speech and communications challenges. Some are nonverbal. There are tools and therapies available. However, funding for these is not covered by our state support. We turn instead to our donors to help us help our individuals express themselves. We are fundraising for speech tablets, training cards and other tools. We also wish to fund a speech therapist. Will you help? If you’ll walk the walk, you can help our individuals talk the talk!

shows individual using adaptive technology for communication, Abilities Without Boundaries

We Need Your Support More Than Ever This Year!

individual working while wearing covid mask

We are securing new worksites. We are expanding in-house work opportunities for individuals who cannot travel outside of AWB.

We are doing all we can to support our individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Abilities Without Boundaries helps people achieve independence, self-sufficiency, community participation and personal satisfaction through employment and day support services.

While the bulk of our finding comes from the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services (DDS), we rely heavily on our donors and sponsors to provide extra amenities and opportunities.

Fundraising supports art and music programs. We now have a sign-language program. We also offer fun activities. Our indoor basketball game is hugely popular, as is our player piano. They create opportunities for socialization, learning appropriate behavior, and hand-eye coordination.

Abilities Without Boundaries indoor basketball
Thank you 2022 sponsors!

If you have a company or know of one who can sponsor our Hot COCO for 2023, please click on this SPONSORSHIP LINK. Each year we receive wonderful support from Sponsors Like These .

Many thanks to our Title Sponsor this year: Bartlett & Grippe Attorneys at Law.

Thank you Lloyd R. Saberski, MD, for your Hot Chocolate Level sponsorship.

Pre-Race Fitness

One of our race sponsors offers this special stretching video to help you prepare for the race. Gaylord Physical Therapy would like to wish all racers the best of luck. Whether running in person or virtual, take a few minutes to learn about some great pre-race stretching exercises from two of Gaylord’s experienced physical therapists.You can review it here or directly on YouTube at this LINK.

Pre-race advice from Gaylord Specialty Healthcare.