Hi Everyone!

As most of you know, I am usually bombarding you every year at this time with information and sponsor requests for our Blue Ribbon 5K race in Mentor. After a lot of soul searching and a serious look at the cold, hard facts, I am no longer able to continue this project. Although we have had a reasonable number of participants in the last several years, it has been increasingly more difficult to obtain sponsors and generate the kind of "buzz" the larger races do. Since little of the entry fees go directly to the charity itself, lack of sponsors has been crucial to our available donation dollars. That being said, my passion for this cause and my desire to show appreciation for our First Responders has not changed! I started this whole project in September of 2018, three months after officer Mathew Mazany was killed in the line of duty. My heart was broken, along with those of the entire community, and I felt I had to do something to help the Mazany family. Each year since then, all money raised has been donated to various organizations in the area that assist First Responders in some manner.

This year I am asking for funds for K9 Heroes 4 Heroes, 501(c)(3), whose mission is to provide service dogs for veterans and first responders at no cost to the recipient. This is such a great organization that puts its heart and soul into funding, finding and training these awesome canine assistants. I urge you to look at their Facebook page and website for all the good work they do!

Please help me keep the memory of Officer Mathew Mazany alive by donating to this awesome organization.....lets crush this goal!