2nd Annual 5K for the Fallen set for September 4, part of Labor Day weekend festivities

Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce Vice President Shawn Heard, (left), is shown with Fountain Valley 5K for the Fallen founder Susan Arnold and Fountain Valley Foundation President Kathy Manley (right). Both groups were supporters of the event, and congratulated Susan on the success of the 5K for the Fallen’s first successful event and added their enthusiasm for its continued success in the future.
NEWS PHOTO BY JENNIE KELLER

2nd Annual 5K for the Fallen set for September 4, part of Labor Day weekend festivities

Susan Arnold received confirmation last week that the Fountain Valley 5K Run for the Fallen (which she started last year in memory of her son, Ronald J. Tucker, who was killed in Iraq on April 30, 2008) has been added to the Fountain Fall Festival Labor Day weekend schedule for 2010. The 2nd Annual 5K Run for the Fallen will take place on on Saturday, September 4.
“The race was created as an outlet for me to honor and keep the memory of my son alive,” she explained.
Friends and other supporters in the community rallied to help her bring the vision to become a reality when last September 4, the first Fountain Valley 5K Run for the Fallen took place at the Fountain-Fort Carson High School sports complex.
“Since Ronnie (a 2006 FFCHS graduate) was involved in JROTC at Fountain-Fort Carson High School, I thought the funds raised would be a good way to create a scholarship in his name for cadets who excel in the program there,” she said.
Due to the success of the race, Arnold was able to provide funding to all three JROTC programs in the Fountain Valley; (adding Widefield and Mesa Ridge High Schools); thus giving $2,000 to each program at the beginning of the school year.

“I included the programs in District 3, as I was employed as a teacher there for the past eight years, and because of my love for my community,” she shared.
The scholarships will be bestowed in $500 increments, with two JROTC students receiving the money from each program. The winners will be chosen from an essay question Susan and her daughters created.
“As the war has progressed, there have been three new families that share my Gold Star status from the Fountain Valley area; one soldier who is a Widefield High School graduate and a Marine and soldier who both graduated from Mesa Ridge,” she related. “These families have agreed to have a schlorship created in their sons’ name and will be asked to choose scholarship recipients based on the essay. The scholarships will be presented at the end of year ceremonies each program gives.”
Susan announced that in addition to the funding of the JROTC programs, the 5K Run for the Fallen committee has decided to purchase a bronze sculpture of the Soldier’s Memorial Cross to be placed in the Fountain Valley Veterans Memorial Park that is soon to be built.
“For this year’s race, I have decided to add a subtitle to our event called ‘In the Community for the Community,’ she explained. ”We will be seeking funding and donations from any and all businesses in the Fountain Valley. The community support from last year’s race was overwhelming, yet there are still many businesses that we left untouched. One of our goals is to double the amounts given to support the JROTC programs and to help fund programs and events in our community that support, honor and thank our military branches...DEEDS NOT WORDS!”
For more information about the 5K Run for the Fallen and how persons can donate to, support or participate in the event, they can email Susan at race4fallen@earthlink.net, or leave her messages in care of this newspaper at news@ftnvalleynews.com or at the News office, 120 E. Ohio Ave., Fountain.

Watch for additional announcements about the event in future issues of this, your “hometown” community newspaper.