This Easter weekend, I had an opportunity to run in a 5K in honor of a remarkable little girl. I never met Addie, but in her short time on Earth, she made a huge impact on my little hometown.
Shortly before her 10th birthday, she was diagnosed with leukemia. Mere days later, she was gone–two days days before her birthday.
In her single-digit lifetime, she made a dedication to serving others. She set up a lemonade stand to raise money for the local animal shelter. For her birthday, she had requested that her guests not bring birthday gifts: instead, they should bring gifts of pet treats and toys to donate to shelter pets.
A year after losing Addie, her family organized a 5K; the hope is to raise money for various causes every year. From such a tragic moment comes such a wonderful event. It is truly inspiring to see 600+ participants (including many four-legged friends) lining up for the 5K fun run and 1-mile walk. Many, many volunteers send smiles all around and enthusiastically cheer everyone on. Once you cross the finish line, you are met with tables full of homemade cupcakes (Addie’s favorite).
I’ll never win a race; my current goal is just to finish with the main pack. I know that many people who don’t “get” running don’t understand why I’d ever pay money to run races I’d never have a chance of winning. I submit that I get so, so much more from my entry fees.
Salubriousness and Shower Beers 
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