MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Runners from all over the country took their mark, got ready, and ran for 6.2 miles Sunday morning at the 7th Annual Skyway 10k.
For many of the 8,000 participants, the Skyway 10k is personal.
Each runner represented support for the Armed Forces Families Foundation. It’s where all the race proceeds go to.
“It’s a good cause,” one runner said. “We have family in the military and had served in the military so this is just to support them.”
The Skyway 10k has raised an estimated $2.6 million for Armed Forces Families over the past 6 years.
Robby Dezern is on the Armed Forces Families Foundation Board of Directors. He travels to Tampa Bay from Atlanta every year for the race.
He said the support brings tears to his eyes.
“We’re able to right now fund over 100 projects that support our armed forces families,” Dezern said. “That 1% of the population that provides 100% of our freedom.”
So many people have wanted to contribute- there used to be a lottery to be a part of the 10k. Cathy Kielar said she had been randomly selected twice.
“My dad was in the army so you know it meant a lot to me to be in the race,” Kielar said.
Some people walked the race, some ran the whole way through, and everyone seemed to have had a good time while supporting a great cause.
We expect to find out how much money was raised during this year’s Skyway 10k alone, next week.
If you couldn’t attend the 10K but would like to donate to the Armed Forces Families Foundation, click here.