Runners and walkers and even baby strollers will replace horses at Monmouth Park on Aug. 6 when the Kortney Rose Foundation sponsors its 12th annual Kortney’s Challenge Two Mile Fun Walk Run.
The run and walk are scheduled to start at 10 a.m. at the Oceanport race track.
According to Kirsten Gillette, Kortney’s mother and the Kortney Rose Foundation founder and executive director, the foundation is a non-profit organization that she and her husband Richard Gillette set up as a way to help channel their grief into something positive.
Kirsten Gillette explained that “their hopes are to make a difference, in Kortney’s name, in the fight to find better treatments and ultimately a cure for pediatric brain tumors. The fundraising efforts will directly benefit pediatric brain tumor research,”
“Kortney was nine when she died and all of her nine-year old friends wanted to ‘help’ with the foundation. I couldn’t think of how nine-year olds could help me, but I thought even a nine-year old could walk two miles. Kortney’s Challenge Two Mile Fun Run/Walk was born so young children and people of all ages and physical ability could get involved. Avid runners can improve their short distance times and beginning runners can set a goal of running two miles rather than a whole 5K. Anyone can walk and we welcome strollers, which invites families with young children as well,” Gillette said.
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 6, followed by a schedule of events that features a performance by the Dance Plus Performance Team, music and prizes from 107.1 The Boss radio, face painting, speeches by the doctors and team photos.
In the finish area there will be free samples of iced coffee from Rook, Italian ices by the Lighthouse, balloon animals, hoola hoop contest, basket raffle, and 50/50 raffle, according to Gillette.
Awards are presented to the top three girls and boys, 12 years old and under, the top three women and men, 13 to 39 years old, and for the top three women and men 40 years old and over. Every registered child will receive a custom Kortney’s Challenge medal upon finishing the race, according to Gillette.
All proceeds from the race will go toward the foundation’s support of the collaborative research efforts through the Children’s Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium, research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and research at Hackensack Meridian’s Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, according to Gillette.
Once the walk and run event are done, Monmouth Park will hold its daily horse races. Post time is at 12:50 p.m.
Participants of Kortney’s Challenge will receive a $5 discount off the $20 picnic area ticket. If a person isn’t participating in Kortney’s Challenge, the ticket price for the picnic area is $25.
Tickets include food and drink, entry to the park in the private picnic area and a free race program. There will also be a horse race named for The Kortney Rose Foundation and all of the supporters are invited into the finish area for a group photo.
All jockeys wear pink helmet covers during that race in honor of the foundation colors pink and purple. Children under 12 are free and there are many free fun kid activities near the picnic area, according to Gillette.
Gillette reflected on the start of the foundation.
“Kortney was diagnosed in December 2005 and passed away in April 2006. We were certified as a non-profit organization in October 2006 but held our first Kortney’s Challenge in September of 2006 before we were tax exempt. From that first event we raised money to add additional equipment to Kortney’s school playground at Wolfhill Elementary in Oceanport, which was then named as ‘Kortney’s Playground,”‘ Gillette said.
The foundation’s key sponsors for the race, according to Gillette, are Monmouth Park, Les Friedland and Associates, LLC, the Turning Point Restaurants, WBI Funds, “Team Super Mike”, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia-Division of Neurosurgery, Fyzical Therapy and Balance Centers. The foundation also has other sponsors as well, Gillette said.