After a year’s hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions, the 2021 Tigard K9-5K Run/Walk is on again as an all virtual run being held from July 31 – Aug. 7. Registration is available at TigardK95K.com.
The great thing about a virtual run is you can complete it on your own wherever you are during the weeklong “race” time. Once completed, you simply log your 5K time into the website and see where you rank among the rest of the competition.
In 2014, the Tigard Breakfast Rotary Club, working with the Tigard Police Department, raised over $15,000 to fund a second police K9 (Diesel). At that time, there was only one K9 (Baxter). Knowing that the addition of a second K9 unit would be of great value to the department and community, our club reached out to the Tigard Police Department to see if we could make this a community service project. They were supportive of our efforts every step of the way.
We had a two-year timeline to raise $15,000, the amount needed to purchase and begin training a new K9. We were amazed at the support we received from businesses and citizens in Tigard. Through direct contributions, donation boxes at local businesses and proceeds from our 1st Annual Tigard K9-5K Run/Walk, the results exceeded our expectations. In November 2014, nine months after we began this endeavor, we presented a check to the Tigard Police Department for $15,000.
Knowing that Baxter was nearing retirement in a few years and another K9 would be needed to keep the unit strong, we have continued our Tigard K9-5K Run/Walk for the last six years. The department has a budget for the K9 unit, but as with many areas of public service, there is always a need for additional funding.
Rico was added to the department in 2017 and Cooper in 2021, and so we knew that our efforts are needed more since there are now three active K9s in the department.
Our focus this year, as it was the previous six years, at Tigard Breakfast Rotary, is continuing to assist the K9 unit at the Tigard Police Department in supplementing the day-to-day costs of Diesel, Rico & Cooper and their partner Officers Powers, Suyama and Fourie.
We also continue to give back to local schools and many other local agencies in need of supplemental funding.
The race is usually held each year at Cook Park in Tigard; however, due to the uncertainty of scheduling large events this summer, we decided earlier this year to go virtual and then resume the in-person event in the summer of 2022.
Every runner gets a medal and T-shirt included with the registration fee, which will be available for pick up locally at the end of July (details available on the website).
