COLUMBIA FALLS — Columbia Falls High School cross country teammates completed a 24-hour run-a-thon to raise funds for 16-year-old Hazel Alexander, who was critically injured when a stolen vehicle crashed into her car on Jan. 9.
Alexander is the team's number one runner, and the accident left a significant gap on the team as Alexander continues her recovery.
"Just a sweet kid. Cross country, hard working, great teammate, leads by example, she's just an incredible person," said Jim Peacock, the Columbia Falls cross country coach.
The team gathered to brainstorm ways to support Alexander and her family. Senior River Blazejewski and others then decided on the 24-hour run-a-thon.
"When this first happened with Hazel, my first thought was we have to get a fundraiser going, my mind went to a 5K, but as a team we met up and we were like let's make this something bigger, let's make this a 24 hour event," Blazejewski said.
The event ran from Friday to Saturday afternoon, with at least one track teammate or coach staying on the track for the entire 24 hours. They marked each lap by dropping a rock into a bucket.
Community members could pledge money per lap or give single cash donations. Local businesses also stepped up to support the cause.
"Freedom Bank, Glacier Bank and Schellinger Construction pledged a dollar per lap and they challenged every other construction crew across the valley to beat their sponsorship of a dollar per lap," Blazejewski said.
The fundraiser showcased the strength of the local community coming together during times of need.
"The community of Columbia Falls is amazing. The way they rally around their people when somebody's in need, is great," Peacock said.
The run-a-thon represents just the latest example of community support for Alexander. A fundraiser at her workplace, Norm's Soda Fountain in Kalispell, recently raised over $20,000, and a Give Send Go fundraiser has raised just under $70,000 for her recovery.
