Central Oregon Businesses Rally for Heaven Can Wait

Each year on National Cancer Survivors Day (June 2) Heaven Can Wait 5k draws thousands to Bend’s Drake Park with a shared mission to raise funds for Sara’s Project, a breast health education and outreach initiative of St. Charles Foundation, area physicians, community members and cancer survivors.

Now in its 14th year, Heaven Can Wait has grown to become one of the largest 5k races in Central Oregon. Many of the 4,000 participants each year run or walk the course in teams sponsored by generous area businesses that support the event. Businesses as varied as Central Oregon Radiology and Starfire Body Piercing Studio gather employees, family and friends to demonstrate their organizations’ commitment to the community they serve.

“As a local bank, we are always looking for ways to make a difference in our communities,” said Travis Browning, VP district manager/Central Oregon, Bank of the Cascades. “Heaven Can Wait supports Central Oregon residents who are touched by cancer, and that local focus means a lot to us. The Bank of the Cascades team is proud to partner with the St. Charles Foundation to support this important cause.”

Robberson Ford, a long-time automotive leader in Central Oregon, has been involved in Heaven Can Wait since its inception in 2000 and has sponsored the event multiple years.

“We are honored to have participated in helping raise the much-needed funds for Sara’s Project and for our community,” said Kristy Holcomb, team organizer. “Robberson Ford has sponsored a team of our employees and their families every single year, and we always look forward to having a great time while we help spread breast cancer awareness.”

The event has raised nearly $930,000 since it began. This year’s tagline for Heaven Can Wait includes “A million reasons to run” with the goal of hitting the million-dollar mark.

“Everything we do at St. Charles is in partnership with the community,” said Lisa Dobey, executive director of St. Charles Foundation. “In fact, our new mission statement is ‘Creating America’s healthiest community, together.’ We are so appreciative of the overwhelming support from local businesses that join with us for Heaven Can Wait.”

Sara’s Project was founded to promote early detection of breast cancer, build awareness and provide support to women facing breast cancer in honor of Sara Fisher, a cherished teacher, counselor and active community volunteer who died in 1992 after a seven-year battle with breast cancer.

“The funds raised from Heaven Can Wait are used to support breast cancer patients, as well as providing education and screening for women in our region,” said Allison McCormick, director of cancer services, St. Charles Health System. “These funds are critical to the success of our programs, and we truly appreciate all the volunteers, race participants and business partners that support this amazing event.”

Heaven Can Wait began in 2000 after Charlene Levesque — wife of Central Oregon Running Klub (CORK) president, Joe Levesque — was diagnosed with breast cancer. Charlene’s diagnosis prompted CORK to begin formulating the idea of a women’s event that would promote early detection of cancer and encourage a healthy, active lifestyle.

“I think of Heaven Can Wait as the original crowd-sourced fundraising,” said Dobey. “Long before Kickstarter existed, people in Central Oregon were coming together as a community to collectively help their neighbors facing breast cancer.”

Beginning at 9am on Sunday, June 2, the 5k (3.1-mile) course starts and finishes in Bend’s Drake Park. The course goes south toward the historic Old Mill District and Mill Point Business Park, winds back through McKay Park and residential neighborhoods and returns to Drake Park where festivities and the finish line await.

To register as a team, one designated team captain will create the team online when they register. Once the team is created, team members register individually and put the team name on their entries.

To register a team for your business, visit heavencanwait.org.