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MADEY SLAUGHTER is all smiles as the benefit race to assist her goes off. Slaughter has a rare form of cancer and people showed their support last week at the 5K in her honor.
“This is to raise money and more importantly, to show support for Madey,” said Rick Smith, one of the organizers of the event. After days of rain and sleet and snow, Smith was thrilled with the weather. “It’s perfect running weather,” he said.
“We prayed the rain would stop for this,” said Candece Hadley, a friend of Madey’s mother. “It’s a beautiful day, and I think for Madey it needed to be a beautiful day.”
Madey and her family learned last January that she has Ewing’s sarcoma, a bone cancer that affects those between 10 and 20 years old. The 14-year-old has completed five rounds of chemotherapy and will have her sixth and final treatment this week.
She was on hand to greet the 400-plus runners and then went home to watch them pass in front of her house since part of the route included her street.
Staci Hardy, who has been working since February to coordinate the fund raiser, said organizers were hoping to raise $10,000 for the family. The event also included a silent auction and bake sale. “My heart was in this,” said Hardy, who said her daughter is best friends with Madey.
“Last night Madey told us that cancer is mean,” said Madey’s dad, George, as he addressed the runners before the race began.
“I can’t think what else to say to you other than —thank you,” he told the crowd with emotion, before Madey blew the air horn that started the race.
Winners in the “Youth-Male” category were Brad Nye, who finished in 18:11, Alex Hedquist, at a time of 18:15 and Hayden Hansen, who took third place at 18:43.
First place in the “Youth-Female” category went to Christine VanBrocklin, at 24:40, with Lexi Elinkowski finishing second at 25:47 and Rebecca Nolan third at 26:27.
Chris Trujillo won first place in the “Adult-Male” category with a finishing time of 19:10. Bradley Fry came in second at 20:30 and Tyler Alderman was third at 20:34.
For the “Adult-Women,” the top three finishers were Stacy Dorius, who clocked a time of 21:46; Janna Burton won second place at 22:13 with Chaleh Trujillo taking third at 22:37.
“I can’t talk about it without getting emotional,” said Hardy. “It was wonderful. I talked with George and Michelle and both were very overwhelmed to see that big of a crowd. They were excited, very grateful and very humbled at how many people really care about their family. They said thank you over and over and over.”
Hardy said she will present a check to the family at a dinner this week. The check she’ll present is not for the $10,000 she’d hoped to raise. It’ll be for $22,900.
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