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| Staff Photo/Kevin Sjoberg Zachary and Peggy Gagnon walked in the Sept. 8 Zach’s Run, held at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. The event was a fundraiser for the Gagnons to help cover medical expenses as Zachary undergoes treatment for Ewing sarcoma, a children’s bone and soft tissue cancer. More than $7,200 had been raised as of last week, according to Jonathan Kelley, who spearheaded the event. |
By Kevin Sjoberg
and Natalie De La Garza
Staff Writers
PRESQUE ISLE — On Aug. 18, Jonathan Kelley was preparing for the REDY … Set … Let’s Go! Youth Triathlon, in which he serves as director, by getting ready to finalize the list of participants.
He then read an e-mail from Peggy Gagnon of Caribou, who stated her 10-year-old son, Zachary, was not going to be able to return to compete this year as he was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a children’s bone and soft tissue cancer.
Kelley, who lost his father to cancer nine years ago, quickly came to the realization that he needed to do something. He logged into his Facebook account, posted a request to get the community to rally around the Gagnons and then watched it take off.
We (he and Bobbie Jo Caron of TAMC) created an event called ‘Zach’s Run’ and at first sent it out to 50 people,” Kelley said. “It wasn’t long before 1,300 had been invited.”
Kelley planned a 5K run/walk, which would piggyback the youth triathlon, with all proceeds to benefit the Gagnons. Also, the message “We Support #63” (Zach’s bib number in 2012) was added to the youth triathlon T-shirts, which were sported by the 110 athletes and 85 volunteers taking part in that event.
When 4 p.m. arrived on Sept. 8, registration for Zach’s Run got under way and Kelley was, in his words, “blown away” by the community response.
“I kept seeing people come through the doors. The lobby at Gentile Hall filled up and spilled into the gymnasium,” Kelley said. “I couldn’t believe it.”
Among those in attendance were the Gagnons, who weren’t sure they’d be able to attend. Kelley got a chance to speak with them at length.
“They are an amazing family,” he said. “They are very spirited, full of life and gracious for everything.”
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| Staff Photo/Kevin Sjoberg Ten-year-old Zachary Gagnon of Caribou spoke to participants of Zach’s Run Sept. 8 at the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Gentile Hall. At right is Jonathan Kelley, who spearheaded the event as a fundraiser for Gagnon, who has been diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a children’s bone and soft tissue cancer. |
Kelley said Zachary was “well spoken and very humble with an amazing outlook.” Kelley asked Zachary to speak prior to the start of the 5K and his words to those in the gymnasium were “This is a hard time, but I will get through it. This is a great group.” Zachary also served as the official starter of the run/walk, doing so from inside the pickup truck of Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Maine Warden Service, of which Gagnon would like to work some day.
The participants included the Gagnon’s immediate family from the Frenchville/St. Agatha area, but also classmates and staff members from Teague Park Elementary School in Caribou, where Gagnon is a fifth-grade student; employees of the warden service and border patrol, a group from TAMC’s Aroostook Pediatrics, running enthusiasts as well as other cancer patients and various community members out to support the cause. In all, Kelley said 150 took part in the event. In addition, with donations coming in from as far away as Ohio, Florida and New Hampshire and throughout Maine, the fundraising total hit $7,200 as of last week and is still growing.
The following day, a presentation was made at TAMC, with the Gagnons receiving a signed frame from the Zach’s Run participants with a photo taken at the starting line of the run/walk. There was also a display case which included a T-shirt, swim cap, a youth triathlon finisher medal and his bib #63, among other items.
Donations to the Gagnon’s are still being accepted. People can send checks made payable to “Tri Aroostook – Zach’s Run” to P. O. Box 927, Presque Isle, ME 04769.
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| Staff Photo/Kevin Sjoberg Runners take off from the start line for Zach’s Run, which was held Sept. 8 at the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Gentile Hall. One hundred and fifty community members registered for the event, a fundraiser for Caribou 10-year-old Zachary Gagnon, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. |
