Annual Race for Grace gearing up at Norwin
The 12th annual Race for Grace, which has raised more than $1 million for the fight against childhood brain cancer, will be held April 6 at Norwin High School.
The event is in honor of Grace Ekis of North Huntingdon. She died in 2008 at age 5 from a terminal brain cancer, Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma.
Opening activities start at 7 a.m., and the race begins at 9 a.m. Afterward, children and families can enjoy indoor games, dance performances, auctions and charitable hair donations. Events are scheduled to conclude around 1 p.m., after the awards ceremony.
The Race For Grace is the largest fundraiser for the Reflections Of Grace Foundation. The foundation has given $587,000 to 407 families of children fighting brain cancer across the nation. In addition, $400,000 has been donated for research to find a cure for DIPG and other forms of pediatric brain cancer.
Tamara Ekis, Grace’s mother and foundation president, said the foundation “has been able to alleviate some concerns by giving money directly to the families in need, providing assistance for housing, transportation or medical costs that the family may encounter while caring for their child.”
Participants can register online at reflectionsofgrace.org and sign up for either the 5K run, 5K walk or 1-mile fun walk. The entry fee is $20 for adults; $25 after March 6; and $30 after April 2. For children age 12 and younger, the fee is $15; $20 after March 6; and $25 after April 2.
More information is available at facebook.com/reflectionsofgrace and on Twitter, @ReflectsOfGrace.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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