Adams Township, PA — Before the starting horn sounded, John Nelson — father of the late Katie Nelson — stepped forward with heartfelt words of welcome. Looking out over more than 120 runners and walkers at Adams Township Community Park, he thanked the crowd and spoke directly to Amber Nelson and Maggie Sarver, Katie’s childhood friends who founded the Katie Did Foundation in her honor.
“Amber and Maggie are like daughters to us,” Nelson said, his voice breaking with emotion. “They’ve carried Katie’s light forward in ways we could have only dreamed.” With that, he pulled both women into a long, tearful hug, a moment that drew warm applause and set the tone of remembrance and gratitude for the morning ahead.
Amber then addressed the participants, thanking them for showing up year after year. “When we started this foundation five years ago, we did it with Katie’s heart in mind — her love for life, for community, and most of all, her passion for giving back,” she said. She reminded the crowd that because of their support, the foundation has donated more than $50,000 since its founding, including gifts to nine families affected by cancer this year, a scholarship to a Mars High School senior, and a dental mission trip to Nepal. “Katie would be so proud,” Amber said. “Proud of how we’ve turned our love and our grief into something that gives back, just like she always wanted to.”
As people waited for the race to begin, Amber’s 11-month-old son, Cohan, wobbled forward from his father’s hands toward his mother, attempting his very first steps on the grass. The unsteady but hopeful strides drew smiles and laughter from the crowd — a tender reminder that even on a day rooted in memory and loss, life and hope continue to move forward.
The course itself stretched two laps around the park, equaling a full 5K. When the race began, 13-year-old Ava Malinko surged to the front, crossing the finish line first. Her father, Gary Malinko, wasn’t far behind, taking second place. Their one-two finish drew cheers from the crowd and added to the celebratory spirit of the day.
Alongside the race, supporters browsed tables filled with dozens of raffle baskets donated by local businesses and families. The baskets — brimming with gift cards, themed collections, and community contributions — helped raise additional funds for the foundation, underscoring the strong grassroots support behind the event.
Katie, a Mars native and standout soccer player, was just 23 years old when she lost her battle with acute myeloid leukemia in April 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her friends and family remember her not only as intelligent and driven — a dental student at Case Western Reserve University with dreams of philanthropic missions in Haiti — but also as someone who radiated kindness, joy, and faith.
Amber and Maggie, both childhood friends of Katie, grew up alongside her in Mars. They played soccer together, shared classrooms, and built a bond that lasted well into adulthood. When Katie passed, they — alongside other friends and family — channeled their grief into action by founding the Katie Did Foundation.
“Our slogan is, We do as Katie did. That’s why it’s called the Katie Did Foundation,” Maggie said. “It’s our way of celebrating our best friend’s life and keeping her legacy alive. It’s hard to lose such a special person, especially so young, because she was so full of life. She had done so much in such a short life, and we celebrate that. But she also had so much that she still wanted to do. For us, it makes it a little less sad, because we can at least try to do what she wanted to do and support her family — and that’s what keeps us going.”