What started as a way to honor a fallen Clermont Police Officer has grown into an annual event that will likely triple the number of participants and the dollars raised in three short years.
The “3rd Annual Honoring the Fallen 5K” will be Saturday, March 4 with a start time of 5:30 p.m. All proceeds go to assist law enforcement officers and their families in critical times. Organizers expect more than 300 runners and walkers, up from just 75 the first year.
The footrace will start and end at Suncreek Brewery, 790 W. Minneola Avenue and will follow the trail down and back along Lake Minneola in downtown Clermont. Each finisher will receive a race t-shirt, medal and a post-race beverage and snack from the brewery.
First introduced in 2021 as the “Conrad Buckley 5K” to honor and celebrate the life of the Clermont Police Officer who died in 2020, Clermont Police changed the name after 2022 was deemed one of the deadliest years with 235 officers dying from line-of-duty incidents. The annual event now honors all law enforcement officers and their families impacted the previous year.
“We are determined to continue to recognize and offer assistance to the officers, and their families, who have been impacted by a horrific incident while doing their law enforcement job,” Clermont Police Sgt. Chris Martin said. “We will celebrate every man and woman who has chosen this noble profession and made the ultimate sacrifice.”
There is also a unique sponsorship for anyone who would like to sponsor a flag representing the home state of each officer killed in the line of duty. Flags are $50 and will be placed along the racecourse.
To register for the event or for more information on the sponsorships, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/Clermont/HonoringtheFallen5k.
