Go Eddie 5k ready to share blessings with others
Eddie Miller’s courageous battle to improve his quality of life and his family, friends and the community have helped create the Go Eddie 5k, which is now branching out to support other people in need.
Inspiration.
People rise from bed each morning in hopes of finding it in something, in ways that will move them forward in their effort to be the best possible person and to touch the lives of those around them in meaningful ways.
That is Eddie Miller’s life every day.
That is the daily life of his parents Leroy and Esther Miller.
Following an accident in 2011 that nearly claimed his life, it would have been easy for the family to struggle and feel depressed. They instead chose to fight, to embrace the challenges Eddie has faced, and to be an inspiration every single day by remaining positive and focused on making the quality of Eddie’s life better one day at a time.
“Eddie’s incredible persistence and commitment to improving his speech and mobility every day since the accident has been incredible,” said Lavern Hershberger, one of the crew who started the Go Eddie 5k in 2015 as a way to raise funds to aid their childhood friend.
This year’s Go Eddie 5k will take place Friday, May 19 at the Mt. Hope Auction grounds, where the 5k and kids run are only part of the joy of the day.
Hershberger said the move from its longstanding date on Saturday evening to this year’s Friday night event was done to accommodate more people who said it would be easier for them to attend on a Friday evening.
Included in the event will be a benefit dinner stand featuring a Chipotle-style dinner, which will begin at 5 p.m.
The 1-mile kids run will start at 5:30 p.m., and the 5k will start at 6 p.m., with the race trekking right through the middle of the event center. In addition, there will be a raffle taking place at 9 p.m., and the race award ceremony will be at 7 p.m.
Hershberger said the support team surrounding Eddie also has been every bit as important in his ongoing rehabilitation, and none have been more important in that support than Eddie’s parents Leroy and Esther.
“Their positive outlook and willingness to do whatever necessary to make Eddie’s quality of life as good as it can be is nothing short of inspirational,” Hershberger said. “Their commitment and attitude has definitely touched the lives of many other people who have found inspiration in Eddie and their story.”
While the goal of Go Eddie 5k was to alleviate the medical expenses Eddie and his family face, the event has grown to such success that the board has been able to expand the Go Eddie Foundation to support more people who face similar challenges.
“Our main goal is to be able to help families purchase equipment and other items that improve the quality of life for those going through similar ordeals like Eddie’s,” Hershberger said. “In the case of Eddie, this event has allowed them to purchase equipment that insurance doesn’t cover. We believe that any time we can help a family improve the quality of life for a family member, it’s important to be able to provide the funds necessary to do so, because like Eddie, people can prove that they can go above and beyond what we might think is imaginable.”
He said last year marked the first year Go Eddie Foundation has been able to help additional recipients, which has always been the goal.
Hershberger said this event continues to gain strides and grow larger each year, and it is only through the commitment of many volunteers who help run the event that it is able to do so.
He said while the four childhood friends who created Go Eddie 5k may have begun the event, it has been the aid of many that has allowed it to blossom.
“We have been so blessed by so many people who have committed their time and effort into making this event possible,” Hershberger said. “We have some incredibly giving, warm-hearted people stepping up, and we are so appreciative of that effort.”
Another huge factor in the success of the event has been the local financial support, and Hershberger said this year the race received a blessing when Pomerene Hospital stepped up and became the presenting sponsor.
The Go Eddie 5k is professionally timed by Vertical Runner. Divisions featured during the run include age 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49 and 50-plus. The grand prize for the overall men’s and women’s winners will be $500 cash, with first place in each division winning a $50 gift card good at any of the Mt. Hope Merchants stores.
The entry fee to participate in the race is $40 for adults and $25 for the kids race. All runners will receive a T-shirt.
As always, the Go Eddie committee has come up with an exciting addition to the show, something they enjoy doing to keep the event new and fresh each year. This year’s entertainment venue will include live musical performances by the bands Bridgestone and County Line, which will take the stage at 7 p.m.
Tickets for the raffle are available for purchase throughout the day of the event and are $10 each or six for $50. Admission to the event is free to the public. Anyone with questions or those wishing to purchase raffle tickets may call 330-473-7112.
Anyone wishing to sign up for the race should visit www.goeddie5k.com.