Running, Volunteering & Remembering: Nicole Dalto

Written by Seth Stutman
Photos by Hillary Lynn Photography & Courtesy of Nicole Dalto

Sponsored by East Village Place

Published in Longmeadow Neighbors (May 2024)

It seems like no matter what she’s doing, recent Longmeadow transplant Nicole Dalto is making the best of it - for her family, for her community, and for herself. Whether it’s in her nonprofit work for others, time in the garden, running, as a hobby, or something as simple as a walk with her pet, Dalto is always thinking of others.

You may know Nicole best from her dog, Charlie, an adorable ten-year-old who makes his presence known on walks around town. “He is very cute and really enjoys walking around town and making friends. If you live in the neighborhood, then you've definitely met Charlie because he tries to stop everyone he sees to "get a pet.”

When she isn’t walking, Dalto is running … and running … and running. It began as a hobby, but in 2017, after her father was diagnosed with cancer, Nicole and her brother set out on a quest to run all six world major marathons (Tokyo, Boston, London, Chicago, Berlin, and New York) while raising money for cancer research. Nicole’s father passed away in April of 2019 - but Nicole and her brother continued their journey.

“Last year, my whole family gathered in London to watch my brother and I cross the finish line of our 6th World Major. Throughout this journey we ran for three different cancer research charities. We ran for Fred's Team, which is the running arm of Memorial Sloan Kettering's fundraising team, Dana Farber, and Cancer Research UK. Collectively we've raised almost $50,000 for cancer research,” said Dalto.

In between marathons, Dalto would also run the NYC Half for Fred's Team and she felt her dad there and everywhere she ran.

“Even though my Dad didn't get to see us finish all the races, it's still wild to me that this one idea to help us bond has brought my family all around the world on amazing adventures.

Once Nicole moved to Longmeadow, she used her home to entertain while raising even more money for cancer research.

“Some of the best memories have been the parties we've thrown in our Longmeadow home. We love to host and celebrate. We've done some spectacular birthday parties and every year we throw a thank you party for everyone who donates to our cancer research fundraiser. The two most memorable were a brunch with a coffee cart and one that got rained out and we ended up with a live band in our living room. These events bring together people from all aspects of our lives and they bring us such joy to see the supportive community we have.”

Dalto was born in the New York area and earned her undergrad at Roger Williams University and her Masters at Alliance Theological Seminary. Her whole career has been in the nonprofit sector.

“I enjoy non-profit work a lot. I've been working for non-profits since I graduated College in 2008. It's nice to feel like the work I do has a positive impact on people's lives. The work that I do currently helps to have a global reach, which is pretty cool,” said Dalto.

Nicole’s love of running and desire to be philanthropic have recently come together in a new way, volunteering with Girls On The Run, a nonprofit with local chapters that “inspires all girls to build their confidence, kindness and decision making skills.” Nicole has found joy in watching children meet and exceed their goals.

“Finding a way to be involved with the community is so worth it and really helps to create a strong sense of purpose for you within the community,” Dalto says. “It's also a great way to meet people and broaden your horizons.”

Even Nicole Dalto’s job is about giving to others. For nearly a decade, Dalto has worked as the Senior Manager of Advancement Services at Harold Grinspoon Foundation in Agawam. HGF, named for philanthropist and Longmeadow resident Harold Grinspoon, aims to to “help people connect to Jewish values, faith, traditions, and culture, and build vibrant Jewish communities.”

When Dalto and her partner aren’t in town and aren’t saving the world, they love to travel - especially to the beach.

“We love taking trips to the beach at all times of the year. Spending a cold October day wrapped in blankets on the beach just to hear the sound of the water is a great memory that we share,” she says.

“I love to celebrate all the little things in life, so I tend to find any excuse to have a shin-dig. In the warmer months I spend a lot of time gardening. The love that goes into the garden really amplifies the joy of relaxing in it. I'm still new to growing flowers so each season is an adventure and a chance to learn more,” she said. “If I find myself with the time I also like to paint. There is a lot of joy in expressing creativity and experimenting with colors and shapes. I started doing oil paintings as a kid and it's stuck with me into adulthood.”

Dalto has made herself at home in Longmeadow, and at her home on Greenacre, she is one of the dozens of homes that open their doors (and candy bins) to the thousands upon thousands of trick-or-treaters who descend on the area every Halloween. Small touches like that is what made Nicole fall in love with Longmeadow when she moved to town in 2022.

“We've started giving out themed candy to kids who show up dressed in costumes that match our Halloween theme for the house. We usually do a Harry Potter theme and hand out chocolate frogs and gummy slugs to all the wizards. It's a lot of fun to see their faces light up when the candy they get matches the characters they are dressed as. Each year we try to add more decorations to make the theme bigger and bigger. I can only imagine what it will look like 5 years from now,” she said.

Nicole Dalto is often running and walking, but when her feet are tired, she is happy that she chose Longmeadow as the place to rest in between her dashing from marathons to volunteer events to work and everywhere else in between.

“I love how walkable everything is. It's so easy to get outside and walk with my friends, go for runs, and bring our dogs to the park. I also love the Longmeadow Newcomers club - and I've enjoyed it so much since I moved here that I thought it would be fun to help make that magic happen for others. It helped me build my own little community and find amazing friends. I've never seen anything like it.”

Currently there are only 1,354 American women (including Nicole Dalto) who have completed all 6 of the world marathon majors - and only 12,772 finishers world wide.