15 Aug PANERATHON PRODUCES PERFECT PARTNERS
PANERATHON PRODUCES PERFECT PARTNERS
LEIDEN CABINETS AND COVELLI ENTERPRISES WORK AND RUN TOGETHER
Melissa Hale, the president and owner of Leiden Cabinet Company in Twinsburg Ohio, will be running in this year’s Panerathon; the same way she has for all but one of the seven years Panerathon has existed.
She won her age group nearly every year and has placed in the top 10 overall women, but Panerathon is much more than a race to her. It is a way to support a cause she strongly believes in, as well as a way to promote the importance of health and wellness to her employees.
“Supporting the fight against breast cancer, or any form of cancer, is extremely important not only to me, but also my family,” Hale said. “My grandmother had breast cancer; my cousin is a survivor of breast cancer; my aunt was taken too early in life by lymphoma; my uncle by esophageal cancer, and another aunt is currently fighting liver cancer. This is a horrible disease that impacts so many friends, family and people we know, so anything we can do to raise awareness and funds may help one less person suffer from its painful impact.”
When asked how Panerathon compares to the marathons, half-marathons and other 10k races she has run, Hale said, “The Panerathon feels very family-oriented. You see big groups of people participating whether it is walking, running or volunteering. Many people are able to bring their children, who also participate in the day. People aren’t just there to run. You aren’t there to only compete. People are there for a cause, to possibly save the life of someone they may never know. That’s what makes it special.”
Hale said the event is emotional for many who participate. “You see so many teams with t-shirts supporting a specific group, or even an individual who is impacted by cancer, and those who wear “Survivor” shirts are the ones I admire the most. I get choked up every single year,” she said, describing the moment of silence before the start of the race.
Hale said Sam Covelli and Tom Leiden, the former owner of Leiden Cabinet, are the big reasons why she began her affiliation with the Panerathon.
Leiden Cabinet has partnered with Covelli Enterprises for almost 18 years on Panera Bread stores. The two companies have a very strong partnership, and Covelli has been very good to Leiden Cabinet and its employees.
When asked to support Panerathon, the Leiden family did not hesitate. After purchasing the company with her partner, Mike Hopp, in 2015, Hale did not think twice about continuing to support this event.
Leiden Cabinet not only helps sponsor the Panerathon but Hale enjoys participating in the 10k event. She believes there are strong similarities between training for a race and running a company. “Whether I am running the company or running in general, both require dedication, determination, hard work and initiative,” she said. “It takes all you have to do both, and these are qualities we try to instill in our employees.”
Leiden Cabinet has increased its number of participants in Panerathon each year and is on a mission to educate employees about the importance of a healthy lifestyles and the need to get routine physicals and necessary testing for early detection of cancer and other diseases. Company officials also believe in the importance of involving family, so Hale’s parents and daughters Megan (13) and Olivia (8) will be participating in Panerathon with her again this year. Leiden Cabinet, as a team, will have multiple employees with their spouses, children and grandchildren participating.