Candlelighters 5K

Our team. Kickn it for Clay.

My heros. Childhood Cancer Survivors.

No matter how much she grows up, there is always going to be Elmo.

Laura's fam came to watch. Thanks Erin and Pat.

Clay and Lily are walking together. Don't tell them but they actually got along on the walk.

Clay took pics with a bunch of characters

All the Ladies rockn their bright green.

The boys and Heather rockn the bright green. Get this, Heather ran the 5K and then left to go coach Lily's softball team. She is a stud.

Today was such a great day. It is an honor to be a part of such a great program. Candle lighters has been there from the beginning of Clays diagnosis. Candlelighters helped Tad get back and forth from Utah by giving us gas cards. Today was the 21st Annual Candlelighters 5K. We were able to create a team for Clay, there were 12 walkers/runners. We had 3 competitive runners who did our team proud. They all finished below their goal times and Laura even made a personal record. A big thanks goes out to all our team members. It was our 5, Laura, Michelle, Coach Heather, Ikiaka and Kelly's family. We also had numerous donors of money who didn't or couldn't run. Unfortunately we never made contact with Kelly's family. There were so many people there and we got lost in the crowd. I am so glad she made it and I feel bad I was never able to tell her that in person. So Thanks Kelly!!!!

The host today said there were over 2,400 runners and they raised over 100,000.00. Can you believe that? The money raised helps to funds the activities that all the kids can go to, as well as help families pay for their medical bills, or gas cards, or perscription reimbursement. There are so many wonderful things that Candlelighters does for the childhood cancer community. I am just in awe of all the families who will benefit from this fundraiser. There was one little girl, no more than 7 years old, who raised as a team over 10,000.00, she alone did several Alex's Lemonade stands and raised over 6,000.00. That girl is so neat. I was able to meet her and she was so cute and humble.

During the awards ceremony there was a moment of silence for all the kids that were lost this year. I couldn't help it, I shed a tear. I was looking at so many teams who were walking on honor of a lost kid. It breaks my heart to know that every day 7 kids die from cancer. Every day I am grateful we are not one of those 7.

Anyway, it was such a fun day. Clay has come along way in a year. He has been diagnosed and survived cancer. Today it was nice to be normal, we were outside so no masks, Clay was running and playing like normal, Tad and I were hanging out with friends. Everything was just normal. Normal is good so we are good.

Thanks to Candlelighters, our team and our donors,

Tab and Clay