The hundreds of runners who sweated this past summer during the annual Party With Purpose 5k race finally saw their hard work pay off on Monday afternoon. The non-profit group donated proceeds from the race, over $9,000, to the Boys & Girls Club of Hudson County.

Party With Purpose presented the check during the Boys & Girls Club's annual Thanksgiving dinner at the gym located on Jefferson Street.

The dinner fed more than 100 children and 35 Party With Purpose volunteers. Local supermarket Garden of Eden provided the meal, which included turkey with gravy, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, string beans and juice. According to Melissa Gitlitz, who organized the event, Party With Purpose purchased the food by holding a fundraiser weeks before.

After the meal, Boys & Girls Club executive director Gary Greenberg accepted the enlarged foam core and paper check.

“We all have so much to be thankful for,” Greenberg said to the children. “These people from the community are here to help because they care about us so much.”

“Thank you for letting us come and hang out with you,” Party With Purpose founder Scott Delea next told the children. Delea said the donated money could be used for the programs, like computer and photography classes, that the kids enjoy the most.

Delea and the Party With Purpose volunteers posed for photos with Greenberg and the big check, and then it was time for desert. Ben & Jerry's donated ice cream.

Delea said he also hoped to inspire the children. “We hope you'll grow up and give back some day, and help the next generation of kids,” he said.