News

May 22, 2023

Along the Way: Attleboro resident to run 24

While many choose to spend hot August days inside with the air conditioning on, Attleboro resident John Brunelli, 54, is outside in a sauna suit and 25-pound vest. The suit and vest are part of his

While many choose to spend hot August days inside with the air conditioning on, Attleboro resident John Brunelli, 54, is outside in a sauna suit and 25-pound vest. The suit and vest are part of his grueling training regimen to prepare for Anchor Down, an annual 24-hour marathon that will be taking place Aug. 11-12 this year at Colt State Park in Bristol. This is Brunelli’s second year participating in the event. “To me, it’s almost like a religious experience … the accomplishment you did is just overwhelming,” he said. In Brunelli’s first year participating in the event, he ran 53.5 miles. His aim is to run 68 this year, the last two digits of his birth year.

Brunelli, however, is not just running for his own sake but to raise funds for New Englanders Helping Our Veterans, a nonprofit. He is the organization’s secretary and a veteran himself, having served as a hospital corpsman for the Navy Reserves. To support Brunelli’s efforts, follow the “Donate” link at NEHOV.org and be sure to mark the donation as “For John’s race.” This year’s fundraising goal is $2,023, of which he had raised over $900 as of Wednesday.

The North Attleboro Senior Center will hold lessons in mahjong, the classic tile-based game, starting next week. The first class will run from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday, and classes will continue to take place weekly at the same time. They are free and open to the public. Preregistration is appreciated though not required. To preregister, call 508-699-0131 or stop by the senior center at 204 Elm St.

The Norton Public Library, 68 East Main St., will host a free showing of the movie “Book Club: The Next Chapter” at 10 a.m. Monday. The movie, a follow-up to 2018’s “Book Club,” centers on a group of four women united by a love of literature and romance who decide to take a trip to Italy. The film stars Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, Mary Steenburgen, Candice Bergen and Andy Garcia. It is rated PG-13. Contact Lee Parker at [email protected] with any questions.

Have an interesting bit of news you’d like to see mentioned in the Along the Way column? Email it to Natasha Connolly at [email protected].