In less than three weeks, foothills and mountain residents will climb out of bed early to kick off the Fourth of July with Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice’s joyful and colorful Freedom Run 5K.

Freedom Run 5K brings together about 1,000 folks of all ages ready to amble, trot or race the 3.1-mile course. The race launches at 8 am from Evergreen Middle School and ends at the Evergreen Athletic Club with the best Finish Line Party this side of Boston full of participants along with their supporters. The way is winding, pine-shaded, bursting with encouragement, and mostly downhill. Small wonder that runners from as far away as California and Pennsylvania have signed on. Even so, the Freedom Run is very much a hometown happening—friends and neighbors sharing

Independence Day morning step-by-step and side-by-side.

“Freedom Run is a local tradition that brings together our foothills and mountain communities,” says Mount Evans’ director of philanthropy and community outreach Karen Aalund. “In an area where it’s generally unsafe to set off fireworks, it gives community members something to look forward to and celebrate on Fourth of July.”

Evergreen resident Jay Huggins has been looking forward to it every summer for more than 10 years, and not just because it’s the best run around. Jay’s mom worked for Mount Evans when he was a boy, and she was a devoted Freedom Run volunteer.

“She always asked me if I was going to run this year, and I always said no,” Jay remembers, with a wistful twinge. “Years later I started running, and now I run the Freedom Run every year with my wife and kids. Our 6-year-old will be running this year. It’s a family tradition, and it sets the tone for the entire day.” Both of Jay’s parents received care from Mount Evans in their last days, lending a satisfying bounce of gratitude to his every step. “It’s nice to remember them at the Freedom Run, and remember the wonderful help and support Mount Evans gave them.”

The region’s coolest 5K couldn’t get out of the gate without generous help from local sponsors. Leading this year’s flight of financial angels is The Chatfield Family Partnership, a community-minded philanthropic funder that’s been in Mount Evans’ corner from the beginning.

“In an area where it’s generally unsafe to set off fireworks, it gives community members something to look forward to… ”

“What I love about the Freedom Run 5K is that it brings the entire community together for one day in support of an amazing cause—Mount Evans,” says Larry Chatfield, who wears his dedication to home health and hospice on his sleeve. Both sleeves, actually. He’s been collecting Freedom Run T-shirts for 43 years, a casual closet-full that’s accompanied him as far as Hawaii. “I’ve supported the Freedom Run through my business in the past, and it’s an honor for The Chatfield Family Partnership to be this year’s presenting sponsor.”

Like many of the 100 or so volunteers who’ll be needed to get the epic event over the finish line, Laura Veckerelli’s commitment to Mount Evans’ essential mission is deeply personal.

“My dad was on hospice for several months and waited for me to arrive in Florida before he died,” Laura says. “My mom

continues to be on hospice, and her hospice care team is my lifeline to her in South Carolina.” Arriving in Evergreen 10 years ago, Laura wasted no time offering her heart and hands in service to Mount Evans. “There’s a place for everyone at Mount Evans who is interested in volunteering. I started doing respite visits and then added bereavement calls. I’ve volunteered for Camp Comfort, the Annual Benefit Gala, and the Moonlight Soiree, and I’ve worked with various staff at Mount Evans to help improve the volunteer program and administrative functions.”

Perhaps most notably, Laura has been front and center with Foothills Conversations, a volunteer-led Mount Evans program that encourages and facilitates people to share their wishes for care through the end of life by having conversations with loved ones and medical providers to expand on their advance care directives.

“There were many times I saw the agony families went through when wishes were ‘assumed’ and not clearly discussed,” Laura says. “I also experienced within my own family how much easier death was when we were all on the same page and knew exactly how much care to provide.”

You can take it from this dyed-in-the-wool volunteer that Freedom Run duty is as good as it gets, no matter what the specific duty happens to be.“I’ve done registration, T-shirt handouts, refreshments, awards, and my favorite,” smiles Laura, “the beer tent.”

Graciously hosted by Evergreen Athletic Club owners Tabor and Laura Cowden, the open-air Finish Line Party also features a refreshing variety of juices, sodas (and plenty of water!), snacks of all kinds, and activities for young and old, all of it set to music.

Early Bird registration for runners costs $40 for grown-ups and $20 for kids under 18. The rates go up $5 on June 27, and $5 more on the morning of the Fourth. For those preferring to man the sidelines and cheer on their favorites, admittance is free.

“There are awards for the best runners in each category,” Karen says, “as well as awards for best costume, including best dog costume.”

Having just marked his one-year anniversary as Mount Evans’ president and chief executive officer, Ashland Evans plans to be in the running for best costume, and he expects the Freedom Run to assist the organization over a different kind of finish line.

“It’s really important that we remain an independent, community-based, not-for-profit health care agency,” Ashland explains. “Money raised from events like the Freedom Run allows us the ability to provide exceptional and compassionate care to people who live outside the boundaries of metropolitan Denver, while ensuring we can continue to expand and innovate our services to best meet the specific needs of our foothills and mountain communities. The generosity of our sponsors, volunteers, race attendees, and community at large truly enables our team members to showcase the ‘heart of Mount Evans’ every day.”

The Freedom Run raised nearly $88,000 last year, a major boost for a nonprofit dedicated to providing love, support, and hope to residents in the foothills and mountain areas of Jefferson, Clear Creek, Gilpin and Park counties. And the Freedom Run continues to raise the bar for family-friendly Independence Day celebrations.

“It’s such a wonderful community event,” says Laura. “The enthusiasm of our runners in their costumes with their four-legged family members, strollers, multi-generational teams—you can’t help but smile and have a great day. It’s the essence of Evergreen.”

To learn more about the Freedom Run, register for the race, become a sponsor, or make a donation to Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice, visit FreedomRunRace.org.