September 18, 2025
Groveland Man Joins Disney-Themed Marathon Team to Fight Cancer in Chicago
By Kyle Coppola
Groveland Man Joins Disney-Themed Marathon Team to Fight Cancer in Chicago
When runners take to the streets of Chicago for the marathon on Oct. 12, among them will be Groveland resident Bob Ruley, who has traded costumes of Disney villains for a cause that hits far closer to home.
Bob is part of “RunDisney Villains Take Chicago,” a nationwide team of about 95 runners raising money for the American Cancer Society. The group is closing in on $200,000 raised, making it one of the largest and most successful ACS charity teams in Chicago Marathon history.
(Groveland’s Rob Ruley crosses the finish line at the 2025 Dopey Challenge in Disney earlier this year.)
“Our theme reminds us that cancer is the real villain,” a team captain says. “We might look playful, but we are running for something much bigger than ourselves.”
That “something bigger” is funding cancer research and patient support, including free rides to treatment, lodging for families and a 24/7 helpline. For many of the runners, including Bob, the cause is personal. Every mile is dedicated to survivors, those still fighting and loved ones lost.
The team has put a creative twist on fundraising. Its largest effort yet is a raffle for a deluxe Disney resort weekend stay. Supporters can donate $23.19, a playful nod to Disney’s Monsters, Inc., for a chance to win, with the raffle ending Sept. 29.
For Bob and his teammates, the race is more than 26.2 miles. It is about reaching a finish line where cancer no longer has the power to touch so many lives. We wish Bob and the rest of the RunDisney Villains marathon runners the best of luck!
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
