East Lake Fire Rescue 5K Dedicated To Supporter Battling Cancer

EAST LAKE, FL — Due to the current pandemic situation, the East Lake Fire Rescue has decided to officially move forward with making its seventh annual 5K Run/Walk virtual this year.

The fire rescue was going to postpone this decision to see if things could potentially get better within the next three months, but it hopes that by making this decision now, the organizers will have more time to adequately coordinate the best virtual 5K Run/Walk event.

The charities need help right now and East Lake Fire Rescue hopes that it will be able to continue to support them with the help from community members and sponsors. By registering for the event, participants will be able to complete the 5K run/walk on their own time between Oct. 24 and Nov. 21.

Participants can pick up a 2020 tank top, a medal, and a post-race party in a bag (goodie bag) during packet pickup.

This year East Lake Fire Rescue has decided to dedicate the 2020 5K run/walk to Craig Metzger, owner of Taekwondo Center for Excellence at Ridgmoor Commons. Metzger has been a huge supporter of the 5K throughout the years and actually made it a requirement for his students to run in the 5K run/walk as part of their promotional belt test each fall. Metzger is the reason why the 5K's child-age group has grown as much as it has the past few years.

Department members would see Metzger and his students about a month before the 5K running around the lake by 57 to prepare for the event.

Unfortunately, Metzger was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. He has two teenage children and a 33-year-old son and has often been unable to work at his taekwondo school and his second job as a commercial real estate associate with Kein and Heuchan due to his diagnosis last summer.

Metzger could really use some financial support. He has supported East Lake Fire Rescue's event in such a quiet and humble way, without ever asking or expecting anything in return, but simply because he is a huge supporter of the East Lake community and of the fire department.

It's an honor to have the opportunity to help support him in return this year by dedicating the event to him and donating a portion of the funds to him.

To register for the event, click here.

This press release was produced by East Lake Fire Rescue. The views expressed here are the author's own.