Ninth-annual Walk 5K for Caitlin set Saturday
From Staff Reports June 14, 2012 3:14PM
Updated: July 16, 2012 6:07AM
The ninth-annual Walk 5K for Caitlin will be held on Saturday at St. Thomas More School in Elgin.
Registration begins at 8 a.m., and the walk begins at 9 a.m. A silent auction and raffles follow.
The Walk 5K for Caitlin is held in memory of Caitlin E. Weese, the stepsister of Kirkland resident Emily Mains. On May 22, 2003, Caitlin’s car was struck by a repeat drunken driver. On May 24, she died of injuries sustained in the crash. Her death occurred three weeks before her 18th birthday and one week before what would have been her graduation from Larkin High School in Elgin.
In 2004, Caitlin’s mother and stepfather, Diane and Joel Mains, founded the Caitlin E. Weese Charitable Trust — aka Walk 5K for Caitlin. This 501(c)3 charitable organization funds a college scholarship to a Larkin High School student in memory of Caitlin, helps support St. Thomas More School, which hosts the walk each year, and supports the victims assistance fund for the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM).
In August 2006, Caitlin’s mother Diane died unexpectedly at the age of 48. The official cause of death was complications of heart surgery, but her friends and family believe that she succumbed to a broken heart after the loss of her child. Diane was the main driving force of the Walk 5K for Caitlin; so to honor her, family and friends continue to work even harder to make this legacy continue to be a success. The goal is to eventually make the scholarship self-sustaining so there will always be a Caitlin E. Weese Scholarship, and to continue to support AAIM and its initiatives.
“We’re hoping that the ninth-annual walk will be the most successful yet, with the continued support of our family, friends and community,” said coordinator Emily Mains.
The raffles and silent auction that follow the walk will feature items including sports memorabilia, restaurant gift certificates, entertainment packages and more. Additional raffles include cash prizes and a handmade quilt designed and constructed in memory of Diane Mains and Caitlin Weese.
St. Thomas More School is located at 215 Thomas More Drive, on Elgin’s west side.
Registration for the event is $20 for adults and $10 for children ages 6-18, with children 5 and under free. Monetary donations and products/services for the raffles and silent auctions will be gratefully accepted.
For further information or to make a donation, visit www.walk5kforcaitlin.com, myspace.com/caitlinweese or www.causes.com/walk5kforcaitlin.
