The leader of a local electric cooperative whose marathon running has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars for children in the Grand Traverse region is being honored with the 2018 Distinguished Service Award from the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce. Tony Anderson, who has served as the general manager of Cherryland Electric Cooperative for more than 15 years, was selected by the Chamber Board of Directors to receive its Distinguished Service Award. The DSA is among the region’s oldest and most-prestigious civic awards, presented annually by the Chamber since 1929.
 
Anderson is best known for his Marathon 4 Kids initiative to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan. It has raised more than $400,000 for the organization. Anderson joined the board at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan in 2005 and later served as board president. His affinity for the work of the organization was inspired by his personal experiences, having lost his father as a toddler, and by the involvement of his grandfather in his young life. Uncomfortable with asking people for donations, he launched Marathon 4 Kids in 2009 with the goal of running a marathon in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to raise money for the organization. He recently completed his 43rdmarathon in Minnesota and has his sights set on number 44 coming up in February in Mississippi. He’s raised in excess of $400,000 through his efforts, despite undergoing hip replacement surgery in 2016. Anderson is also a past president of Freedom Builders, a faith-based organization that provides housing assistance to disadvantaged residents of the area, and served on the Chamber board and as board president in 2012.

He will be honored at the Distinguished Service Award Luncheon on Wednesday, January 23, at Northwestern Michigan College’s Hagerty Center.