Rochester River Run/Walk 5K set for April 10 …
Rochester River Run/Walk 5K set for April 10
Donor and Transplant Families will Salute Donate Life Month at Race Conclusion
Individuals and teams are invited to participate in the 10th annual Friends of Strong Rochester River Run/Walk 5K, Sunday, April 10, at the Riverbend Shelter at Genesee Valley Park. The race will begin at 10 a.m.
Local transplant recipients and members of donor families will attend a brief ceremony at 9:15 a.m. at the Riverbend Shelter to recognize April as Donate Life month.
Helene Ehmann’s 29-year-old son, Scott had discussed organ donation with his brother. When he died one year ago, the family made the decision to donate his kidneys, heart and liver. “Only 50 percent of people who are eligible to donate ever do. If people would only realize how much it helps your grief, more people would do it,” Ehmann said.
As more patients receive organ transplants each year at Strong Memorial Hospital, including heart, liver pancreas and kidney transplant – many need assistance as they await operations as well as after transplant. Former patients also return to Rochester for follow-up medical care, swelling the ranks of individuals in need of help. All money raised through the Rochester River Run/Walk goes to support transplant patients. In 2010, donations nearly tripled from the previous year to more than $12,000, bringing the overall total to approximately $64,000 since the event began in 2002.
Registration deadline is April 7. Pre-registration fee for the River Run/Walk 5K is $20 per person, and includes a long-sleeved T-shirt for the first 300 registrants. On race day the fee will increase to $25, and will also include a T-shirt if supplies are available. Pre-registration forms and race packets are available at Fleet Feet Sports, 2210 Monroe Ave. on April 8 and 9. Registration forms are also available at Friends of Strong. On the day of the event, registration will be held from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Riverbend Shelter.
Race prizes will include restaurant gift certificates and a pair of round trip tickets on United Airlines for the top fundraiser. Deluxe gift baskets will also be raffled off. Tickets will be available for purchase at the House of Six Nations Cafeteria, Strong Memorial Hospital, Thursday and Friday, March 31, April 1, and April 7, 8, and at the race location on the day of the event to raise additional money for transplant patients. Raffle tickets are $2 each, three for $5, seven for $10, or 15 for $20.
The Rochester River Run/Walk 5K course is certified to be accurate by USATF #NY04017KL and computerized racing results will be available.
For more information or to register, call Friends of Strong at (585) 275-2420.
* The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Rochester Medical Center
