Yuma County residents join annual Run Walk for Addie fundraiser

West Wetlands Park filled Saturday morning as Yuma County turned out for the fifth annual Run & Walk for Addie, a fundraiser built around helping families face the strain of serious medical care. Registration opened at 8:30 a.m., the 5K began at 9:30 a.m., and entry fees were set at $35 for adults, $25 for children and $100 for families.

The event is tied to Addie Packs, a local nonprofit created in 2020 after the passing of Addison Tams, known as Addie. The organization says Addie was born in 2008 with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and Shone’s complex, was airlifted from Yuma to Phoenix during her first week of life, underwent five open-heart surgeries and survived two ECMO runs before age 5. That history remains at the center of the fundraising event each year.

Addie Packs says the money and support raised through the run and walk help provide families with practical items during medical crises. Its packs can include hygiene supplies, comfort items, note cards, pens, playing cards, writing tablets and information for hotels and Ronald McDonald House stays for families traveling for care. The program is aimed at families of children facing unexpected or emergency referrals to Phoenix Children’s Hospital or other facilities outside Yuma.

The turnout at West Wetlands Park reflected how the event has become part of the county’s spring calendar rather than a one-time tribute. The race has grown steadily since the first Walk for Addie in 2022 at Smucker Park, followed by annual events in 2023 and 2024 at West Wetlands Park. By 2025, coverage showed Addie Packs was still supporting children airlifted out of Yuma for medical treatment, including deliveries to Exceptional Community Hospital, while relying on grants and donations to keep its work going.

That mix of local participation and hands-on family support has helped give the fundraiser staying power five years in. For Yuma families who have had to leave town in the middle of a medical emergency, the event represents more than a morning run or walk. It is a reminder that the community is still willing to show up, contribute and keep a child-centered mission close to home.