KAYSVILLE -- There were nearly as many runners as there were tears.
More than $25,000 raised at a 5K run/walk and silent auction Saturday will be used to help Madey Slaughter, a 14-year-old Layton girl who has bone cancer.
The "Miles for Madey" event at Fairfield Junior High School, the school Madey attends, drew such a large crowd that Madey's father, George Slaughter, had to stand in the back of a pickup truck to be seen and heard as he thanked everyone for their participation, organizers said.
The sincere appreciation offered by Slaughter before the race brought tears to the eyes of many attending the event, said one organizer.
The money raised will be presented to the Slaughter family to help with Madey's medical costs, said Staci Hardy, a family friend and an event coordinator.
"Madey has completed her fifth chemotherapy treatment and goes in for her sixth round on Friday," said Rick Smith, a family friend who co-chaired the event.
"More than 400 people ran the race, and I just keep smiling about it," Hardy said.
The race began at the Kaysville school and weaved its way through Madey's neighborhood in Layton.
"Madey started the race from the back of a pickup truck. The energy when that truck pulled up and everyone realized it was Madey, it brought goose bumps. Everybody had goose bumps," Hardy said.
Of course, for Hardy, the effort she and a 10-member committee put forth the past 2 1/2 months in organizing the event had special meaning.
"My daughter (15-year-old Danielle) and Madey have been best friends since they were little girls. Madey is an extension of my family," said Hardy, who was devastated when she heard Madey had bone cancer.
She said her being sad was not helping a single person, so she used that energy to help organize this fundraiser.
"It was huge," Smith of what Hardy and the committee were able to achieve.
Smith said he advertised the activity on Facebook and by e-mail. He said area schools also sent fliers home with children.
"It was great to see that many people turn out for a good cause and support (the Slaughters)," Smith said.
"The biggest surprise was to have the number of people show up for the race," said Smith, who initially ordered 155 race T-shirts based on preregistration numbers.
"Hopefully, we don't have to do it again."
Updated 10:44 p.m.
$25,000 raised to support young cancer victim
KAYSVILLE -- More than $25,000 in donations were raised at a 5K run/walk and silent auction Saturday to help 14-year-old bone cancer victim Madey Slaughter of Layton.
The "Miles for Madey" event held at Fairfield Junior High in Kaysville, the school in which Madey attends, drew such a large crowd, that Madey's father George Slaughter had to stand in the back of a pick-up truck in order to be seen and heard by the crowd prior to the race. He thanked them for their participation, organizers said.
The money raised to help with medical costs was to be presented to the Slaughter family Tuesday night by Staci Hardy, a family friend and event coordinator.
"Madey has completed her fifth chemotherapy treatment and goes in for her sixth round on Friday, April 30," said Rick Smith, a family friend who co-chaired the event.
"More than 400 people ran the race and I just keep smiling about it," Hardy said of the runners, who began the race at the Kaysville Junior High, before weaving their way through Madey's neighborhood in Layton.
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