Kisses4Kate, a fledgling organization that raises money to assist children with cancer and their families, held its inaugural 5K run/walk fundraiser Saturday in Jamestown with people of all ages participating in the fight against a deadly disease that affects so many. An estimated 360 people and more than 40 volunteers took part in the event where all the proceeds will go toward helping a local 3-year-old boy diagnosed with cancer.
“It was fantastic,” Kat Manzella, Kisses4Kate’s executive director, said. “It was really very, very unexpected to have the crowd we did. It was so cold that morning and we still had a wonderful turnout.
“We are already starting to provide this little boy with the help he needs.”
Kisses4Kate originally was founded as a way to help Thomasville’s Kate Thornton, a 5-year-old girl who died last month after battling leukemia for three years. Following Kate’s death, Kisses4Kate founders elected to keep the nonprofit going as a way to help others facing similar circumstances. Saturday’s 5K run/walk was just one of many fundraisers the organization has planned for the upcoming months.
“A lot of local businesses helped out with donations and water and fruit for the runners,” said Manzella, whose 10-year-old daughter also ran in the event. “We really did have a fantastic turnout for our first ever run. We plan on doing this again next year. We’ve been blessed with a lot of good people. The public is really responding to us and are coming forward to help these children.”
Participants in Saturday’s event varied in all shapes, sizes and ages. Nerva Gorbett, a 98-year-old cancer survivor, completed the race with the help of her great grandson, one of four generations from her family to participate. Members of the Thornton family, including Kate’s father Joe and siblings Parker and Julia Faith, also joined in the efforts. Kate’s grandmother, Glenda Williamson, a regular walker in her spare time, finished the race and said the event showed how much people care about helping others in their community who need it.
“It was great and there were quite a few people there,” Williamson said. “It was a beautiful day and the scenery was absolutely great. We brought up the rear but it was fun. I couldn’t believe all the support. Everybody was so enthusiastic about it.”
Kisses4Kate’s next fundraiser is tentatively scheduled for early next year. Manzella said Kate planned to have a fancy ball once she got out of the hospital, so that will be the plan in January. Manzella thinks the pink and black ball will happen around Kate’s birthday and will be a true “tuxedo and tiara” event.
Prizes were handed out to the top three men and women runners with John Skinner and Carly Griffin taking home first place, respectively. All of the children received medals and one of the top raffle prizes featured a one-week trip to Myrtle Beach. The 5K run/walk started at the Jamestown Town Hall.
“We had a lot of help and a lot of good people come forward,” said Manzella. “We are still actually trying to add up just how much we raised. We’re not sure what the tally is quite yet but we think it was very successful.”
For more information on Kisses4Kate, visit Kisses4Kate.org.
Staff Writer Eliot Duke can be reached at 888-3578, or duke@tvilletimes.com.
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