‘Race for Agrace’ to Take Place in Fitchburg September 16

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Employees’ concern for patients who need help paying for end-of-life care is the impetus behind a local fundraiser in Fitchburg. On Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, Agrace Hospice & Palliative Care will hold its 2nd annual Race for Agrace event—a grassroots effort that started with the compassionate concern of one Agrace nurse.

Proceeds from the one-mile fun walk and timed 5K run/walk will support the nonprofit’s Care for All program, which provides free or discounted services to patients who cannot afford Agrace’s quality end-of-life or palliative care. Anyone in the community can participate, and they will be walking or running alongside many Agrace staff, including Christine Hammer, R.N., whose idea became the Race for Agrace.

The Race for Agrace starts at 9 a.m., at Agrace Hospice & Palliative Care, 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway in Fitchburg. The $25 per runner or walker registration fee includes a race t-shirt for participants age 11 and older, and post-race refreshments for all participants. Pre-registration is required. The early bird registration ends soon, registration fees will increase on August 20. Interested Agrace supporters and running enthusiasts can register online now at Agrace.org/race.

“This event is designed to increase community awareness of- and ensure access to- the breadth of services available at Agrace for those facing life-limiting illnesses,” says Christine Hammer. “We are working hard to make the race accessible to everyone who wants to show their support—from professional runners to casual walkers to individuals in wheelchairs. The Race for Agrace is for everyone.”

With help from the Agrace Foundation, the event is being organized by a team of Agrace employees that includes every part of the organization—from nurses like Hammer, to IT technicians, volunteer coordinators, receptionists and more. The first Race for Agrace, held in 2017, raised more than $30,000 to support Care for All.

The Race for Agrace is made possible by generous support from its title sponsor, the BerbeeWalsh Foundation. Also providing support are Gold Sponsors Adams Outdoor Advertising, Children’s Dental Center of Madison, First Bank Financial Centre, The Inspired Mat, Johnson Bank, Movin’ Shoes, Powderkeg, Tukka Properties and Wisconsin & Southern Railroad; Silver Sponsors Robert W. Baird – Ken Woodford, Core BTS, National HME, ProClip, Promega, Ryan Brothers Ambulance, Schoep’s Ice Cream, Supreme Structures and The Payroll Company; Bronze Sponsors CI Pediatric Therapy Centers, Gordon Flesch, Lincoln Financial Advisors and Midwest Title Corporation; and Food and Beverage Sponsor Quality Cellular.

Event sponsorships and registration fees from Race for Agrace help Agrace Hospice & Palliative Care cover the cost of providing free or discounted care to local patients. This often includes people who lack insurance, whose insurance doesn’t adequately cover their care, who are too young to have Medicare, and those whose lengthy or expensive medical treatment has left them without a cure—and with no way to pay for end-of-life care.

Complete details and information about sponsoring this event are available at www.agrace.org/race.