The 2025 Run With Responders 5K has raised more than $10,000 for three local charities.
Event co-chair Dave Orshinsky says the Canadian Mental Health Association - Windsor-Essex County Branch (CMHA-WECB), Windsor Firefighters Benefit Fund and Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) for Special Olympics Ontario will each receive $3,500.
He says the organizations are receiving 100% of the proceeds from July's event.
On July 27, 400 people took part in the run along Windsor's riverfront trail.
"We had 400 people take part, but of that 400, we had 125 first responders take part, and that's local first responders, but also first responders from Michigan and all across Ontario came down," says Orshinsky.
Orshinsky says the amount raised is 'a little bit less' compared to past years.
"Economical issues going on right now; there's a little bit of uncertainty for some folks, but $3,500 for each of the charities is still fantastic," says Orshinsky.
He says there is a lot of camaraderie at the event and says it's also a team-building exercise.
"It's starting to pull them together and change some of the morale possibly, and really, the bottom line for me, if I'm being selfish, I really want to change the conversation with how folks view first responders and let them know it's not an easy job and there's a lot of things that they go through, and we want to support them in every way we can," he says.
It was the third year for the event, which also included a kids' dash and an 800m run which was sponsored by AM800.
Orshinsky says the event will return next year and will take place on Sunday, July 26.