Rescheduled 9/11 Heroes Run seeks community's help to reach goal

Although Hurricane Irma forced the 6th annual 9/11 Heroes Run to reschedule, the commemorative event is still happening, assured Charleston Director Theresa Faircloth.

The race is now set to take place on Sunday, Nov. 19, with opening ceremonies beginning at 1:30 p.m.

“With the threat of evacuations due to Hurricane Irma, we had to postpone our annual 9/11 Heroes Run, just two days before the event was to be held,” said Faircloth. “This sent us in a tailspin given the extent of planning that goes in to this event each year. It takes our team almost a year to plan all of the race day logistics, including lining up things like restrooms, photography, volunteers, food, etc.”

Event logistics were not the only challenge when it came to postponing the 5K. Because of the threat of an imminent tropical system, online registration for the race slowed dramatically, added Faircloth, putting the team way behind this year’s goal of 1200 registered participants.

“Because of this, we need to get at least 200 more registrations just to hit last year’s participant total [1000],” she said. “Those 200 registrations are approximately $7000 or more in fundraising, so we need to find a way to come up with a lot more registrations in a very short amount of time to reach last year’s participation. Our goal this year was to have 1,200 registered participants which would be incredible, so we are crossing our fingers we can find 400 more people to register between now and race day.”

To be able to reach their goal and put on a successful event, community participation and support is vital, continued Faircloth.

“We still need a lot more race day volunteers, and registered participants so we encourage everyone to invite their friends, family, neighbors and coworkers to come out and join them at this family-friendly, patriotic event,” she said. “…After all, our event is not just a chance for the community to honor those lost on 9/11 and our men and women in uniform, but it also serves as a crucial fundraiser for both the Travis Manion Foundation and our local first responder agencies right here at home.”

In addition to the date change, the 9/11 Heroes Run team of organizers recently received news that one of the supported local beneficiaries—Berkeley County Volunteer Rescue Squad—will soon be closing its doors after 51 years of serving the local community. Because of this, Faircloth explained, they had to seek out a last-minute replacement.

“We are excited to share that we have named Summerville Fire & Rescue as a replacement beneficiary, in addition to the other original 2017 beneficiary, North Charleston Fire Department,” she said. “They always say, ‘When one door closes, another one opens,’ and while we are all extremely heartbroken of the news about Berkeley County Volunteer Rescue Squad closing its doors, the Travis Manion Foundation and our Charleston 9/11 Heroes Run still have a mission to assist our local heroes and we intend to do just that with our new partnership.”

Last year, through registration, sponsorship and donations, the event was able to donate $10,000 to Berkeley County Emergency Medical Services (BCEMS), $7500 to the Charleston County Rescue Squad, and $10,000 to the James Island Fire Department. The funds provided to BCEMS aided in purchasing pediatric patient equipment for their entire fleet of ambulances, all of which serve Daniel Island and other parts of the county service area, added Faircloth.

“This equipment is specifically designed and appropriately sized for treating pediatric patients, so our Charleston 9/11 Heroes Run is helping Berkeley County EMS save lives of children all across Berkeley County now…This is just one example of what their support of our event does for the community.”

Online registration will be open until Nov. 17 at 5 p.m. at www.911heroesrun.org/Charleston and is $35 per individual. Walk-up registration will also be available on race day as well. For those who want to volunteer, send an email to CharlestonRunVolunteers@gmail.com as soon as possible.