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On your mark, get set, run to raise money for ALS research at this year’s 11th annual Sola Hot Mini 5K.
Lace up your sneakers and get ready to run for a great cause! Sola Coffee is hosting its 11th annual Sola Hot Mini 5K on Saturday, Sept. 14. After late Sola owner Jeanne Luther was diagnosed with ALS in 2018, the cafe shifted its fundraising efforts to raise money for ALS, which presently does not have a cure. This year marks the third race without Jeanne, and “we want to continue to honor her legacy by blowing it out every year,” says Sally Leonard, Jeanne’s daughter.
All proceeds from the event are directed through the Team Drea Foundation to Duke ALS Clinic, Team Chris Combs/Project ALS, The ALS Association North Carolina Chapter and the ALS Therapy Development Institute to help further research efforts to end the progressive degenerative disease that destroys neurons controlling voluntary and involuntary muscles.
Last year’s race saw 1,008 participants, while 2022’s raised $161,000 alone—and in the last five years, it’s raised over $625,000 to help find a cure. The race begins at Sola Coffee Café at 8:30am and winds through the surrounding neighborhoods, finishing back at the coffee shop—where you can, and should, order some of Sola’s signature hot minis to celebrate a run well done.
Andrea Lytle Peet, president and founder of the Team Dream Foundation, says, “When I was diagnosed with ALS seven years ago, I pledged to spend the rest of my life raising money for research to put an end to the cruelty of this disease. Before you die, ALS steals your voice, your breath, your ability to move—and you are powerless to stop it. I have been lucky to have slow progression, but I hate watching my friends go through it. John and Jeanne are some of the kindest, most genuine people you will ever meet. They built Sola to be more than a coffee shop, and it is beautiful and heartwarming to witness how the Sola community has come together to support them. They have turned their struggle into something positive that will help others. I am honored to be a part of it.”
ALS isn’t an incurable disease, it is an underfunded one, and events like the Sola Hot Mini 5K are vital to aiding research. For those who are unable to participate in this year’s race, there are also plenty of ops to volunteer, fundraise or donate what you can. For more info and to register click here.
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