The Lyme-Old Lyme community is coming together today to honor the memory of the late Caroline O’Brien of Old Lyme when the Fourth Annual Caroline’s Miracle Foundation 5K Run, 5K Walk and Kids’ K are held.
Caroline was an 11-year-old girl, who passed away July 19, 2010, from Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) – a rare and inoperable form of brain cancer.
This event is being held once again to honor Caroline’s courage and bravery and also raise funds to support the charity she founded called Caroline’s Miracle Foundation (CMF). The mission of CMF is to bring smiles to the faces of children battling DIPG and other inoperable brain tumors, as well as supporting safety initiatives in Old Lyme.
A committee of volunteers of all ages has planned the race, which will be timed and is very flat and very fast. The race will start in front of Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, head down historic Lyme Street and weave its way through the historic downtown of Old Lyme.
New This Year: the theme is – Beach Bum! Young friends of Caroline have made posters and decorations to line the race route, including the now familiar ‘smiley face’ logo (now adorned with sun glasses) shirts for the first 200 registered runners.
Emily (Caroline’s younger sister), Brynn, Kate and Friend’s Lemonade Stand will be at the event.
There will be a Dunk Tank to cool off. Also, the Kids K route will include the Charles Niblack Memorial Track.
Prizes will be awarded to the top male and female finisher plus the top three male and female finishers of the 5K in each age group.
Registration on race day opens at 6:45 a.m. at the Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau (LYSB) at 59 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT. There are three separate events as follows:
- the 5K walk starts at 8 a.m.,
- the 5K run starts at 8:15 a.m.
- the Kids’ K starts at 9 a.m.
Following the run, a party with music, food, free massages, and more will be held at LYSB. After that, plan to stop by the Old Lyme Midsummer Festival, which is happening all day in Old Lyme.
For more information, visit www.
If readers cannot make the event, but would like to support the efforts of this wonderful Foundation, donations can be made in person or by mail to Webster Bank at 7 Halls Rd., Old Lyme CT 06371.