Eleven years ago when we set out to create a charity 5K to raise money and awareness about fetal syndromes, I didn’t want it to be just another charity 5K. I wanted it to be a celebration of family — an event that allowed families the opportunity to spend time together and make wonderful memories. We also wanted those who came, whether to honor a lost angel or to celebrate their survivor, to have an outlet to share and pay tribute to their loved children.
In 2009, in only our 6th year, we were voted the #1 5K in Colorado by readers of Colorado Running Magazine — a huge honor given the hundreds of 5Ks in Colorado. Each year our team works to make our event better. In 2013 we took a chance and renamed our event “The Great Candy Run,” creating a fun theme that everyone, young and old, could resonate with, while staying true to our charity and the families it serves.
We were honored and shocked to learn that our Denver event was voted the 2014 Best Kids Run by readers of Competitor Magazine. In Denver, we had over 2,000 kids from ages 5–13 participate in their very first 5K. Their excitement and the glow in their eyes was second only to the same emotions felt on Christmas morning. We thank you all for your loyal support — our battle against fetal syndromes is not even close to being over.