For Philadelphians, parks are more than just green spaces; they are places to exercise, relax, and connect with the community. Fairmount Park Conservancy not only maintains these public spaces but also engages residents to support parks in creative ways, including through its charity team for the annual Broad Street Run.

Bryan Johnson is a 36-year-old truck driver from Philadelphia and a three-time Broad Street Run finisher. Over the last two years, he has participated in this 10-mile event through the Conservancy’s charity team, which raises funds during the training season leading up to the race. Through this experience, he has discovered that running can be a powerful tool for both personal health and community impact.

“For me, running is medicine,” Bryan shares. “A couple of years ago, my doctor told me I was almost pre-diabetic, so she said exercise would help. I decided to start running to lose some weight and get my cardio up.”

Bryan first became inspired to participate in the Broad Street Run after volunteering in 2016 through his work with PowerCorpsPHL. When he saw a colleague crossing the finish line, he was inspired to try running  and he has been committed ever since.

Participating as a charity runner is an opportunity for Bryan to have a positive impact on his city  while pursuing his personal goals. He says that he admires the Conservancy’s work and that the money goes to a good cause, “helping to beautify the place,” complete “a lot of the work that you don’t even know needs to be done,” and “keep the city green.”

Bryan was also pleasantly surprised by the support he received while fundraising. “At first, I was scared to put the link out there,” he recalls. But he received support from people throughout his life: family members, former coworkers, and current colleagues all chipped in donations. Bryan notes that the contributions were helpful in securing his bib and “showed [him] how much people were proud of what [he] was doing.”

Through running, fundraising, and supporting Philly’s parks, Bryan demonstrates how personal wellness and community engagement can go hand in hand. His story is a reminder that anyone can make a difference while pursuing a passion.

You can learn more about joining the Conservancy’s charity team for the Broad Street Run and supporting Philadelphia’s parks here.