NEWS RELEASE
ORILLIA SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
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Registration is now open for the seventh annual Charlee’s Run fundraiser, taking place on Saturday, May 6 at Tudhope Park in Orillia.
Charlee’s Run is an all-ages five-kilometre or one-kilometre run/walk and features a fun zone with family-friendly activities. Along with the run, attendees can also expect live entertainment, food trucks, and memorial keepsakes.
Charlee’s Run is named in honour of Charlee Clare Holmes, who passed away in 2011 only a few hours after birth. Her parents, Dave and Mallory Holmes, started the run as a way to raise awareness and end the silence surrounding pregnancy and infant loss.
“We are humbled to once again bring the community together and be surrounded by a village of people reminding us all that we are not alone,” said Mallory Holmes.
Over the past six years, Charlee’s Run has raised more than $425,000 for Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital’s neonatal and pediatric needs, while also raising awareness for pregnancy and infant loss.
“We started Charlee’s Run hoping we would get 50 people out and were blown away when almost 300 people filled the park in the first year,” Dave Holmes said. “Every year since, hundreds of people have joined together to show support and remember the little ones who should be here today.”
Each year, Charlee’s Run receives incredible backing from the community. It has become a safe space for those who have experienced pregnancy and infant loss to connect with a network of support.
“Charlee’s Run wouldn’t be the outlet it is without the support of this community and everyone involved,” Mallory Holmes said. “The support means everything to our family and to countless other families when they need it most.”
Proceeds from Charlee’s Run continue to support enhancements to the bereavement cart. This year, Charlee’s Run will also be raising money to purchase new Giraffe Warmers for the neonatal intensive care unit at the Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.
To register for the event and to make a donation, please visit CharleesRun.com. Register before March 17, 2023 to take advantage of special early-bird pricing.
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