Burlington’s James Gang 5K Is Sunday, and Everyone’s Invited
A family charity built on love for one remarkable man brings the community together for a walk, a run, and cider donuts.
Ask Lauren Anderson about her brother James, and the first thing she’ll tell you is how much he loves a crowd.
James, 34, is the heart of the James Gang, a family-run charity that grew from a golf tournament into one of Burlington’s most welcoming fall traditions. This Sunday, Oct. 18, the James Gang 5K returns for its third year, and you don’t need to be a runner to join in.
Who is James?
James lives with NARS1, an ultra-rare genetic disorder affecting only 54 individuals worldwide that wasn’t even identified until 2020. It was clear in his first year of life that there was something different about James. He reached milestones late, didn’t walk until he was 2 or 3, and has developmental and intellectual disabilities. But or 28 years, his family had no name for what he had. Boston Children’s Hospital followed him through years of genetic testing. Then, in August 2020, at the height of COVID, his geneticist called to say a newly published article described a match.
Suddenly, the family had a community. This past August, Lauren helped organize the first NARS1 family conference in Boston. About ten families flew in from across the country, and the James Gang sponsored a music therapy session. Watching the kids, with such similar mannerisms and a shared love of music, was surreal, she said. “We found our people.”
From a golf tournament to the Boston Marathon
The James Gang began in 2017, when James’s cousin Liam, a Burlington native, launched an annual golf tournament to support Best Buddies and other local causes. Later, James’s mom Nancy took up running, and the family was gifted a Hoyt running chair. Lauren said James would light up on every run. Soon, relatives who never thought of themselves as runners were asking to push him in a race.
In 2023, the family applied to be a Boston Marathon charity, never realizing how competitive it was. They landed a couple of bibs, and James and his cousin Liam, a Burlington resident, ran together. The James Gang has been chosen as a partner charity each year since, and they received five bibs for the 2027 race.
Sunday’s 5K
Building on the energy from the Boston Marathon, the James Gang 5K grew as a way to bring the whole community together, not just the golfers.
The race uses the same route as the Turkey Trot and the Burlington Education Foundation 5K, starting and finishing by the Burlington High School cafeteria entrance. It’s a walk and a run, so any pace is welcome. After a weather postponement on Oct. 4, Oct. 18 looks like a beautiful fall day, and fresh cider donuts from Wilson Farm in Lexington will be waiting at the finish line.
The Burlington High School girls cross country team will volunteer to support, as they do each year, and their coach, Nicole Anderson, has applied to run the Boston Marathon for the James Gang in the spring.
Joining this weekend's walk is easy:
- Online registration through midnight Friday, Oct. 16
- Early bib pickup and in-person registration Saturday at Burlington Run Club in the Shoppes at Simonds
- Race-morning registration Sunday, with the start at 9:30 AM
Supporting research and inclusion
The 5K typically raises about $7,000, though Lauren says the real impact is harder to count. Runners who first came out for the 5K have gone on to run Boston for the James Gang, one raising $10,000.
The money supports an annual grant to the Roy Bell Foundation, which is dedicated entirely to NARS1 research and to connecting families. There are only about 10 to 15 known cases in the U.S., and James is the oldest. The rest funds local inclusion efforts, including an iCan Swim program with the Burlington Recreation Department, community programs with Bedford Recreation, and weekend fitness classes for children and adults of all abilities. The family especially wants to support adults, where they see fewer options. Have an inclusion idea? They’d love to hear it.
Not the only walk this season
The James Gang isn’t the only walk Burlington neighbors have been lacing up for this fall.
On Saturday, Sept. 19, the Lahey Cancer Institute 5K Walk & Run at Lahey Clinic drew 662 registrants and has raised more than $225,000 so far, comparable to last year. In its 20 years, the event has raised more than $4 million for cancer care in Burlington and Peabody. This year’s funds helped add a Community Resource Specialist who connects patients and families with local support services.
On Oct. 4, 13 Burlington residents joined thousands of walkers in the Jimmy Fund Walk for Dana-Farber along the Boston Marathon course. Among them were Christine Schultz, Maria Roberto, and 2-year-old Walk Hero Maxwell Smith, who is being treated for leukemia and walked with his family’s team, Maxwell Strong. Last year’s walk raised more than $11.2 million for Dana-Farber.
Whichever walk you choose, there’s a lot of good happening in Burlington this season.
