Family Lives On is an Exton-based nonprofit that supports the lifelong emotional well-being of children whose mother or father has died. Although its annual Race for Traditions race was converted to a virtual competition, one elite runner was inspired to complete her own 20-mile run to raise awareness of the organization.

Through its Traditions Program, Family Lives On encourages children to continue cherished family traditions by recreating a unique experience the child had with a deceased parent. By enabling the child to choose a tradition he/she wants to continue, the program encourages the value of remembering and helps maintain an emotional connection with that parent.

With volunteer and financial support, the Traditions Program has helped children honor a loved one with such activities as planting flowers, baking, visiting the zoo, and attending concerts and sporting events.

Last year’s Race for Traditions raised $31,000 to support the Traditions Program. Unfortunately, this year’s 5K, one-mile walk, and tot trot on April 25 was cancelled due to COVID-19, although everyone can still sign up for the virtual race.

Not to be denied in her original attempt to race the 5K that day in support of the Traditions Program, Dr. Stephanie Fulmer instead completed her own 20-mile run as a tribute to the organization and as a way to raise awareness for its mission.

“My aunt is office manager with Family Lives On, and in the past, we had our own separate fundraiser with our extended family to help support the Traditions Program,” said Dr. Fulmer. “I had recently begun volunteering for them and helping with communications and their social media platform and was planning to enter their annual race that day to support them.”

As a psychologist who advocates for individuals with mental health needs for the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services, and as an accomplished distance runner, Dr. Fulmer is in the ideal position to combine social compassion with road running, as she did that day in body and spirit.

“I went to a Catholic school where there were two sports: basketball and running,” she said. “I was on a coed basketball team and I was not very good, so I switched to running and fell in love with it. It was my focus through high school and then collegiately at Bucknell, and now I compete mainly in the longer distances like half marathons and marathons.”

Dr. Fulmer’s run was along a favorite route from Philadelphia’s Museum of Art and Martin Luther King Drive, along Forbidden Drive in Fairmount Park’s Wissahickon Valley, and back to the Art Museum – a 20-mile circuit she completed at a training pace of two hours and 30 minutes.

One doesn’t have to be an elite distance runner, however, to compete in the virtual Race for Traditions to raise funds for Family Lives On. Registration gives you the opportunity to join the virtual race by either running, walking, riding a bike, doing yoga, or other activities, and to track your miles or hours by downloading the atlasGO app. Participation tickets cost $10 for students and $20 for all others, and gift cards to REI are awarded to the top overall male and female competitors.

The deadline to participate in the virtual race has been extended to May 31. Click here to register.

As an alternative to the virtual race, individuals can also make a direct online donation by clicking here.

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