North Palm Beach-based Believe With Me extends mission to Tampa, hosting its first Freedom 4 Miler in the bay area over Independence Day weekend
Tampa, FL. (May 16, 2023) – Run in honor of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice this Independence Day weekend with Believe With Me. North Palm Beach-based nonprofit, Believe With Me, will bring its annual Freedom 4 Miler to Tampa for the first time on July 1. Through this inaugural race, the nonprofit looks to gather the local community in support of families of fallen soldiers, with all proceeds going towards providing these children with Christmas gifts this December.
Founded by Lyette Reback, Believe With Me launched in North Palm Beach in 2015 with a mission to provide resources to Gold Star Families: children, spouses and parents of fallen military service members in financial crisis. While the organization leads various fundraising projects year round, its flagship effort falls on Independence Day weekend with the Freedom 4 Miler. For six years, the race has been held in Tequesta. After growing a network of supporters and connecting with 25 local Gold Star Families in Tampa Bay, Reback will now bring her annual race to the area.
Kicking off with a Christmas in July theme, the Freedom 4 Miler will be held at Al Lopez Park on Saturday, July 1, starting at 8 a.m. Each mile of the race is dedicated to a fallen soldier, featuring a flag lined race course with signs and memorabilia helping the racers get to know the fallen hero being honored for that mile. Local Gold Star Families will be in attendance. Proceeds from participant sign ups go towards Christmas gifts for Gold Star Children, those looking to donate can also bring new, unwrapped toys and gifts to the site on race day. Along with the four-mile race, Believe With Me will hold a Lil’ Patriot’s 1 Miler Run for kids 12 and under and a Tiny Cadet Cupcake Dash for children five and under. Following their run, tiny cadets will celebrate with sweet treats and a spirited snowball fight.
“As we enter our eighth year serving Gold Star Families, I could not be more excited to expand our footprint in a city with such strong military ties and support,” says Reback. “Our mission is to bring the community together through gratitude and respect for those who lost their lives in service to our nation’s military and give back to their families that live among us. With an additional race in Tampa added this year, we hope to provide Christmas gifts to more Gold Star Children than ever before.”
From heartfelt speeches and acts of service to patriotic activations and sprinting santas, the Freedom 4 Miler will be the most meaningful and memorable four miles Tampa locals will run over Independence Day. Adult sign ups start at $50, with child sign ups starting at $15. Runners can also participate virtually for $65. Those interested in running, volunteering or donating can register online.
ABOUT BELIEVE WITH ME:
Founded in North Palm Beach, Florida in 2015 by Lyette Reback, Believe With Me is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support and resources to America’s Gold Star Families, the families of fallen military service members. Serving all manners of military death, Believe With Me supports families of those Killed In Action, Killed in Training, PTSD Suicide, Service-Connected Illness and Active-Duty Accidents. Believe With Me provides the opportunity for civilians to give back to families of the fallen in tangible ways, with its most notable project being “An American Gold Star Christmas”, in which Believe With Me looks to provide 2,500 Gold Star Children with hand-selected gifts from personalized wishlists. Other national fundraising projects include “Lemon-AID Stand for the Fallen”, which consists of students and families all across the country hosting LemonAID stands and donating their earnings to Believe With Me over Memorial Day Weekend and “The House That Love Built”, where civilians partner with local business to provide home renovations, memorial gardens and mortgage-free homes for Gold Star Parents. Believe With Me also provides benevolence funding for Gold Star Families in financial crisis. Believe With Me’s core mission is to “Bring Hope and Help to America’s Gold Star Families and Inspire the Next Generation to Live a Life Worthy of Their Sacrifices.”
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