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The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers 5K Run/Walk Savannah is set for Sept. 10.
Seven-year-old Jaden Hayes will be creating smiles, “American Idol” contestant Jax will be singing and local Scouts will have a valuable role as more than 1,300 runners complete the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers 5K Run/Walk Savannah the morning of Sept. 10 at Orleans Square.
Runners passing the Whitaker Street side of Forsyth Park will see Boy and Girl Scouts holding signs identifying the 344 firefighters who died Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists hijacked two airplanes and crashed them into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City.
Siller was one of those firefighters and the run/walk was created by his family in his memory. Proceeds help to build homes for the most catastrophically injured service members returning home from military service.
The Savannah event is one of 29 Tunnel to Towers 5K events held across the country in September. In 2012, Jane Grismer brought the run to Savannah because it is personal for her, she said.
Both her brothers were members of the Fire Department of New York that day. Jimmy is with Ladder 16 on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Richard has retired because of health complications related to 9/11, Grismer said. Her father Jim was head of operations for the Word Trade Center until 1999. She also went to high school with Siller.
On Oct. 2, 2015, the Tunnel 2 Towers Savannah Facebook page began running information daily on each of the firefighters who died. The original number was 343. This year, Grismer was contacted by Arnie Roma, whose son Keith was a firefighter with New York Fire Patrol 2 when he died. The Savannah organizers agreed to add his name to their list.
This year, Hayes will be a special guest. He has been seen around Savannah, including at City Market, making people smile through his #thesmileexperiment. This 7-year-old lost both his parents within a two-year period. Siller was orphaned at the age of 10. Because of this connection, the Siller family and Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation Board voted to commit an annual donation to help him with books, supplies or other immediate needs as he goes through school.
New Jersey native Jax came in third on the 14th season of “American Idol” in 2015. Her firefighter father was injured on 9/11, Grismer said.
Retired UPS executive Dick Eckburg will again invite his military friends to race and he will sponsor the race fee for them, she added.
Retired New York firefighter Joseph Pigott will represent FDNY. He was there during 9/11 and has been at the Savannah race since it started in 2012, Grismer said.
“I’ve been here 18 years and he has more friends than I do,” she said with a laugh. “He’s quite a character.”
Also coming from New York to attend the Savannah race are two of Siller’s sisters: Regina Siller-Vogt, foundation board secretary, and Mary Siller-Scullin, foundation treasurer.
Last year, race organizers donated $5,000 to The 200 Club, which takes care of families of firefighters and other first responders who died or suffered critical injuries in the line of duty. They will donate again this year, Grismer said.
She said race-day registration starts at 7 a.m. and the race starts at 8 a.m. or after all registrants are signed up. Jax will perform and awards will be presented afterward.
There are more than 100 awards, including for The Siller Cup Firefighter Challenge. Teams of four firefighters or more from across the nation compete in Savannah to take home a traveling trophy and have the opportunity to defend their title in 2017.
IF YOU GO
What: Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers 5K Run/Walk Savannah
When: 7 a.m. registration and 8 a.m. race start
Where: Starts at Orleans Square
Cost: $40; $25 for military and first responders; free for children 6 and younger
Info: www.facebook.com/t2tsavannah
Sections: Community
Tags: Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers 5K Run/Walk Savannah Jaden Hayes 200 Club Jax savannah Sept. 11 New York City firefighters
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