Thousands to Participate in Inaugural 'Finish Chelsea's Run'

While last Friday marked the one-year anniversary of Chelsea King’s disappearance, this Saturday will launch an annual celebration of her life.

“Finish Chelsea’s Run,” an inaugural 5K run/walk, will take place at Balboa Park to honor the Poway High School senior, who disappeared while jogging on the trails above Rancho Bernardo Community Park.

“The family is really thrilled to be able to celebrate Chelsea in this way,” said Stephanie Dorian, Chelsea’s cousin and the King Family liaison.

Dorian said the family, who will attend the event, wanted to honor Chelsea, who was an avid runner, with a run/walk. They chose Balboa Park because she practiced there as a member of the San Diego Youth Symphony.

“We can celebrate her love of music and her love of running and her love of community and the beauty of the park all in one,” Dorian said. “It’s a celebration of the life and joy that Chelsea brought to the world. It encompasses all of the things that she loved.”

Participants can choose to compete or participate as casual walkers and runners.

Race Chair Janice Penrose said event organizers are “on track” to reach their goal of 3,000 walkers and runners.

“It’s an impressive number of people for an inaugural event,” she said. “We’re just really thankful to the entire community for signing up and coming out on the fifth.”

A committee of about 15 volunteers began planning Finish Chelsea’s Run in November, Penrose said. There will be more than 300 volunteers helping on race day.

“I really couldn’t think of a better cause to put my energies into than to lead the team for this fantastic event,” Penrose said.

In addition to the 5K run/walk, there will be a festival with entertainment, booths and refreshments.

Planned activities include an “inspiration wall.” Participants will be able to write their own quotes or words of inspiration on a banner that will feature a key quote from Chelsea’s collection. Following the race, the banner will be displayed somewhere in San Diego. A video playing the “Just Chelsea” video will be displayed next to the wall.

There will also be a sunflower pot planting station. Race finishers will receive a package of sunflower seeds, which was Chelsea’s favorite flower, and an orange foundation bracelet. At the station, children will be able to paint small pots to take home.

Other activities include a photo booth, organic produce station, food sampling, various booths and more. Two bands and two solo artists will also perform following the race. Speed the Band, which recorded the song “Chelsea Runs,” is one of the featured bands.

Although the main emphasis of the event is to celebrate Chelsea’s life, it is also a fundraiser for the Chelsea’s Light Foundation’s Sunflower Scholarship Fund, a scholarship program that will help San Diego youth accomplish their academic and extracurricular goals.

Ten San Diego County high school seniors will be awarded the first Sunflower Scholarship Fund academic scholarships. Applications, which must be postmarked by April 1, are available through high school counseling offices, at the foundation’s booth at Finish Chelsea’s Run and on the foundation’s website.

In addition to academic scholarships, the Sunflower Scholarship Fund will award Joie de Vivre scholarships on an ongoing basis. These scholarships are designed to help children ages 18 and younger participate in extracurricular activities.

Penrose said the event wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for the community’s support.

“We’re extremely appreciative of all of our event sponsors,” she said. “We’ve had an overwhelming response from the community supporting our event.”

Sunflowerguy.com is one of the event’s sponsors. The company has participating runners and will be managing a booth.

“When the run came up, we have team members in the company who are runners and we do a lot of donations, so we contacted the Kings and said we would participate,” said Manager of Executive Services Joan Saunders.

Sunflowerguy.com is also donating 2,000 sunflowers that will be sold for $1 each. All of the proceeds will go toward the scholarship fund.

“We just want to participate and try and do a good thing,” she said. “It’s a wonderful cause.”

The event will be emceed by “Little Tommy” Sablan.

Dorian said Finish Chelsea’s Run is important to her and the rest of the family.

“For me, it’s all about her,” she said. “It’s all about celebrating the amazing girl that she was and keeping that legacy going. That’s very near and dear to all of the family.”

Finish Chelsea’s Run is also a way to thank the community, Dorian added.

“We want for people to leave feeling rejuvenated and inspired and motivated, just basically having had a really enjoyable day,” she said. “The greater San Diego community has been nothing short of extraordinary from day one. It’s hopefully our way of giving something back to them in gratitude.”

Chelsea's death, and that of Escondido's Amber Dubois, sparked fury over perceived lax supervision by state officials of the 31-year-old John Albert Gardner III, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a teenager in Rancho Bernardo in 2000 and spent six years in prison. Last September, Chelsea's Law was enacted to require sentences of life without parole for forcible sexual assaults against minors, and calls for lifetime tracking of certain sex offenders and tightens sex offense parole guidelines.

Participants can still register. Entry fees are $35 for adults before race day and $40 on race day. Fees are $20 for children 12 and younger before race day and $25 on race day. Race day registration begins at 6:30 a.m., with the race following at 7:30 a.m.

For more information about Finish Chelsea’s Run, visit Chelsea's Light Foundation at www.chelseaslight.org.