The Speedsters is hosting a 5K Saturday for Kayla Hilliard, a 5-year-old with cerebral palsy.
The running group hopes to raise money to purchase Kayla a special needs running stroller. The stroller, which costs about $1,000, will make it possible for her to go on runs with her family.
Her parents, Justin and Charyse Hilliard, are avid runners and Charyse is a member of the Speedsters.
"She loves it," said Charyse Hilliard of Kayla riding in the stroller. The family is now borrowing one.
"She's the happiest little thing," Hilliard said. "She loves Minnie and Mickey and Dora; all the things that 5-year-olds love."
Kayla will use the loaner at the event as her father runs.
Hilliard said the stroller will benefit the entire family because both parents love to run with Kayla. Charyse Hilliard lives in Cape Coral and Justin Hilliard lives in Lehigh Acres.
"The focus is on raising money for this girl," said Perry Small, president of the Speedsters.
Proceeds will benefit CPKidz, a nonprofit organization founded by Hilliard to help special needs families. The money raised will go toward the stroller and Small thinks they will raise close to $1,000.
It was Small's idea to host the fundraiser, said Hilliard. Small said that he saw Hilliard was having scheduling problems and couldn't run as much as she wanted to and he wanted to help.
"(The Speedsters) are more about support and encouragement and helping others with their running," Small said.
"We all just came together and decided to put on this race as a fundraiser," said John Biffar, a major planner in the event.
The hardest part about planning the run was finding a day that didn't conflict with other races. Small said there is a race almost every weekend.
"It's amazing how many people are coming out to help out," Hilliard said.
The event will offer raffle prizes and giveaways donated by local races and vendors. There will be a free entry to the ING Miami Marathon with training, a free entry to the A1A marathon, and a chance to win running shoes and running gear, as well as many other entries and prizes.
"We've been blessed to get all this stuff," Biffar said.
So far, 100 people have registered for the event and Biffar is hoping 130-140 to come out to the run.
If Yyou Go
The event and registration can be found online at runflorida.com. Registration is $10 online and $15 the day of the event.
Check-in for the fun run starts at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at Jaycee Park, 4215 SE 20th Pl., in SE Cape Coral. The event will not have awards or post results, but it will have a clock timer.
The first 100 participants will receive a free T-shirt.
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