The Ava Brown Memorial 5K

Our friend and Teammate, Robby Brown, and his wife, Sarah, are putting on The Ava Brown Memorial 5K here in Jefferson City on April 14th in honor and memory of their daughter, Ava, who was tragically lost to SIDS in 2009 at just 8 weeks old.  Last year for this race, I wrote one of the most difficult blog posts I’ve ever written, and after re-reading it just now, I’m not ashamed to admit that I broke down and shed a few tears all over again.  For the full story of why this race is so important to us, please read why we Ran for a Reason last year.  We were completely humbled and blown away by everyone’s generosity, and we raised over $1,000 last year as a team.

We would love to see you and your families join us at this year’s race.  There is a 5K Run/Walk, and there’s also Ava’s Amble, a non-competetive, non-timed, fun run for kids.  Proceeds from the event go to First Candle, a wonderful organization dedicated to advancing infant health and survival.

I will be walking at this year’s race since I will be running the GO! St. Louis Half Marathon the next morning.  However, that doesn’t mean that this race means any less to me.  With every step, I’ll be thinking of Ava and my nephew Benji.  I’ll be thinking of Robby and his family, and I’ll be thinking of my brother, Casey, and his family.

If you can’t make it to the race but would still like to donate to such a worthy cause, you can do so right here.  Every little bit helps.  Thanks, and we hope to see you on the 14th!