Peter Kline, founder of Marathons with Meaning, will be the featured guest at Thursday’s Rooster Booster event.
The program begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Owensboro Convention Center (501 West Second Street) and is sponsored Wendell Foster.
Kline last visited Owensboro to participate in the Wendell Foster Half Marathon on November 13, 2021. He pushed 11-year-old Jesse Gonzalez in the race. Gonzalez, an Owensboro native and care recipient of Wendell Foster, lives with an undiagnosed form of muscular dystrophy.
His running journey began at the age of 52 with his first 10k, a St. Patrick’s Day fun run in San Diego. Within two years he was running full marathons and trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon, which ended up taking another 2 years.
A close friend of Peter’s who had been diagnosed with an aggressive brain cancer later challenged him to run the Boston Marathon to raise money for cancer research. Running for a cause sparked a new passion within Peter to not just run, but to run with a purpose.
In 2012, he connected with Taylor, a rider-athlete who has cerebral palsy, and helped her complete the Rock n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon. Peter went on to form “Marathons With Meaning” to make running more accessible for people with disabilities.
Now, at 69 years old, Kline has competed in more than 100 marathons and has dedicated more than 60 of those to helping a young person with disabilities cross the finish line. He is sponsored by Brooks Running Shoes and has been featured in The New York Times, People Magazine, CBS News, and more.
Kline is also a senior vice president and wealth management advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Bellevue, Washington, where he lives with his wife Michelle. He joined Merrill Lynch in 1988 with prior experience as a manager of a regional firm. He graduated with honors from the University of Wyoming, earning a bachelor’s degree in business with an emphasis in investment analysis and portfolio management.
Register to attend here or call the Chamber office at 270-926-1860.
The cost to attend Rooster Booster is $15 for Chamber Members with reservations, $20 for Members with no reservations and $25 for non-members. Reservations include breakfast, which will be served buffet style at the beginning of the event.
