GEORGETOWN, Ky. — An annual race in Scott County is raising awareness and funds for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) research.
The Finley 5k is named after Dwayne and Chrissy Ellison's son, Finley, who died of SIDS.
"I think until you've lost your child, it's just hard to explain. I've heard it said a few times it's kind of like eating food and nothing tastes right. Nothing has a flavor to it anymore," said Dwayne.
For the past seven years, runners and walkers from across the region have come to Georgetown to honor Finley's memory and raise awareness about SIDS. The race has grown to over 1,500 participants and raised over $100,000 annually for SIDS research through the Finley Foundation.
"It helps to educate a society that doesn't understand we're losing 3000 to 3500 infants every year for some unknown reason," Dwayne said.
Despite the pandemic, the race is still on this year, just virtually. Racers like Kurt Schilder and his family will take to the Georgetown streets this weekend while running or walking the 5k anywhere they like in a safe manner.
"I just think it's a great cause for people to come out into the community. On a normal year, you get to see people that might be the only time of the year that you see him, but you know every year they're going to be there," said Schilder. "I just think again, it's a good cause to raise money for SIDS research."
While moving to a virtual event may seem like a step back, in some ways, it's helped the Finley 5k expand.
"In some ways that appealed to a lot of other people that maybe couldn't always make a date or couldn't come to Georgetown. We had somebody donate from Germany this year and is going to join us from Germany. We've had people from other states. We've got a few people in Boston, who we support anyway, who are going to do it this year. So, in some ways it closes down, but in other ways it helps us spread out," said Dwayne.
This weekend, runners from across the globe will join together virtually to celebrate the life of Finley Ellison all while raising money to save more infants and families from SIDS.