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About The Hood River news. (Hood River, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (May 13, 2015)
Wednesday, May 13, 2015 B1 THEY’RE OFF: 3K runners of all ages start their race/walk. Participants chose from the kids’ race, walk, 3K, 5K and 10K. T o n s o f t u t u s Story and photos by KIRBY NEUMANN-REA News staff writer “I get knocked down/But I get up again/No, you’re never going to keep me down...” The Chumbawumba song lyrics that blasted just before second annual Lila May Tutu Trot summed up the spirit of a four-year-old who could not wait to run with her friends. “One picture!” said Lila May Schow, holding up her finger, as friends gath- ered for a group portrait with the star of the day. Moments later, she turned and ran back to the start- ing line where she joined 50 or so other youngsters in the first part of the benefit for Lila May, who has been undergoing ar- duous, expensive treat- ments for neuroblastoma since she was diagnosed a month after her second birthday. One of those friends was Jacy Johnston, 10, who collected $1,244 for Lila, largely by going door to door, and presented it before the race to Lila May and her stepdad, Blake Hall. Then the running and walking began, as more than 600 people showed up, almost all in tutus or some version of taffeta, on a warm, sunny morn- ing at Mark O. Hatfield Trailhead. The event raised $10,000, and counting, in- cluding $600 gathered Sat- urday in donation bins at a dozen downtown busi- nesses. “It was such a success, and we had such a great time. It blows me away that this little town can support so much. People really responded,” said Jenny Lorenzen of Hood River, a friend of Heidi and Blake Hall. Lorenzen, a pediatric nurse, organized the event, with help from dozens of volunteers. Those included Hood River Lions, who handled parking and traffic con- trol at the trailhead as well as at the event park- ing lot at the Port of Hood River. Lorenzen said logistics were greatly helped by the shuttles, as well as on-line registration and Friday packet pickup at Shortt Supply. (A t-shirt sale and raffle continue for a week at Shortt Supply, Second and Oak streets.) Mount Hood Meadows donated use of a bus, and other buses were rented from First Student to handle the turnout, about double last year’s. For the past year, Lila May and her parents have repeatedly travelled to both Portland and New LILA MAY MEDALLION f o r L i l a M a y Fun run raises over $10,000 BRIAN MEARS, with his daughter, Aurora, with their dogs, Magic, left, and Sparkles. JACY JOHNSTON presents the $1,244 she raised to Lila May and her stepdad, Blake Hall. At center is organizer Jenny Lorenzen; photographer Brian Shortt and Jacy’s father, Tad, look on at right. FUND FACT: You can still support the Lila May Fund through Saturday at Shortt Supply, Second and Oak, which hosts a t-shirt sale and raffle, and donation jar. York hospitals for medical treatments. However, in light of recent hurdles, she is now participating in a costly clinical trial in Michi- gan. She travels to the Mid- west every three weeks and to Randall Children’s Hospi- tal at Legacy Emmanuel in Portland once a month. “This is incredible. There are no words to describe how much we appreciate the love that is shown here,” Heidi said. “I mean, I love her, I’m her Mom, but to see so many people who don’t know her and to know they are expressing their love for her, too, to show this kind of support just shows what kind of a wonderful commu- nity we live in.” Costume winners, chosen by Lila May, were: Most Cre- ative, Bryan Mears; Best Male, Michael Clement; Best Female, Nancy Clement; Best Kid, Jacy Johnston. Participants included: community supporters Bon- nie and Don Benton, Don in a wheelchair but wearing a tutu; Sophie Whitehead in a UO color-themed tutu en- semble; Jennifer Gulizia and Bailey McManus, and their months-old kids; Lila’s grandmother, Mari Fuellen- bach from South Joran, Utah, and Brian Mears and his daughter, Aurora, 11. Mears is an avid runner who, after last year’s Tutu Run, started wearing a tutu to every race he ran. People would ask to have their pho- tos taken with him and he would agree if they made a donation to the Lila May fund. “I’d just throw the money into a duffel bag in my truck, with the idea of giv- ing to Lila May today,” said Mears, who did not count it before giving it to Lorenzen, but estimated it was several hundred dollars. ■ People came from all over to support Lila May on Saturday. Here are selected things they had to say about what brought them there. “I love to help people out through my running, and there are so many ways to help other people with run- ning. It’s so great to be able to run and collect this See LILA Page B6 RUNNER Brianna Cantrell, 10, exchanges high fives with Addison Smiley, 2, at the end of the Lila May Tutu Run and Walk. With Bri- anna were her sister, Chloe, 13, and their friend, Abigail Kellogg, 12. Addison walked with her parents, Jason and Kim, and siblings Riley, Ayden and Lilee, of Hood River. COSTUME WINNERS Michael Clements and his mother, Nancy.
