K5K - A Run for Kendra

Join us for our 14th Annual run/walk to honor and celebrate the life of Kendra R. Atherton and to raise money for a scholarship fund in her name to benefit college students who have lost a parent to cancer, and who display the qualities possessed by Kendra. As of today, the k5k: A Run for Kendra has awarded over $155,000 in scholarships to students who have lost a parent to cancer.

NEW LOCATION: 1st Street Jetty, Virginia Beach Boardwalk

When: Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 9am 

Where: Virginia Beach Boardwalk or Virtually

Join us for our after party at The Shack after the race is over! The Shack is located at 712 Atlantic Ave, Virginia Beach, VA 23451.

Whether you live in the area or are 500 miles away, you now have the opportunity to run/walk the k5k wherever you are! Follow us on Facebook to get connected with our race no matter if you are participating in-person or virtually. When you sign up for our virtual event, you will also receive emails with instructions on how to post your results. Virtual results can be posted at any time during the month of November. You can compete with people participating all over the country! Spread the word to family and friends!

Who: The k5k: A Run for Kendra is for absolutely everyone!!
 
Registration Prices:

12 & Under: $20; Price increases to $25 on 11/1

Student (13-24): $30; Price increases to $35 on 11/1

Adult (25+): $35; Price increases to $40 on 11/1

Note: Packet Pick-Up will be from 3-6pm ET on Friday, November 21st at Running Etc. (1940 Laskin Rd UNIT 302, Virginia Beach, VA 23454). 

It’s NEVER TOO EARLY to register FAMILY and FRIENDS!

Run with your pet! Dress your pet in PINK! Have fun!

We are a Virginia Corporation and are recognized by the IRS as a Charitable Organization (501(c)(3) corporation). Therefore, your donations will be tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed.
Tax ID # 47-3909531.

Sponsors may be corporations, groups, families or individuals.

***Deadlines for the printing of run t-shirts and signage mandate that ALL sponsors, at ANY level, commit BY November 1, 2024.

4 Levels of Sponsorship:

PLATINUM: $1500 or more, includes:6 free run registrations

• Signage on mile markers (this is available to the FIRST 6 Platinum sponsors ONLY)
• Logo on back of the k5k Run t-shirt
• Recognition as Platinum-level sponsor on k5k.run (event website).
• Recognition on signage with other Platinum-level sponsors at the start/finish line and evening event

GOLD: $1000 to $1499, includes:4 free run registrations

• Logo on back of the k5k Run t-shirt
• Recognition as Gold-level sponsor on k5k.run (event website).
• Recognition on signage with other Gold-level sponsors at the start/finish line and evening event

SILVER: $500 to $999, includes:2 free run registrations

• Recognition as Silver-level sponsor on k5k.run (event website).
• Recognition on signage with other Silver-level sponsors at the start/finish line and evening event

BRONZE: $250 to $499, includes:1 free run registration

• Recognition as Bronze-level sponsor on k5k.run (event website).
• Recognition on signage with other Bronze-level sponsors at the start/finish line

Send Checks Payable to “k5k: A Run for Kendra” directly to: Hunter Atherton, k5k President, 1176 Birdneck Lake Dr, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Please fill out our Sponsor Form here

In-Kind Sponsors/Donors

Raffle Baskets
We will be hosting a raffle at the event with a variety of raffle baskets, and we are looking for donations to these baskets. If you have anything that you are willing to donate to a raffle basket, please feel free to contact us.

Goody Bags
Each participant will receive a goody bag with their race t-shirt and bib, and we love to include donated items from various local companies. If you have anything that you are will to donate to the goody bags, please feel free to contact us. 

Note: All donated items must be available for pickup or drop off at Running Etc. (1940 Laskin Rd UNIT 302, Virginia Beach, VA 23454) by 11/20. 

Kendra Ruestow Atherton Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship will be available to college-bound high school seniors from Hampton Roads. We anticipate making our decisions by June 30, 2024, and the scholarship money will be sent directly to the college or university at which the student has been accepted for the Fall 2024 session. A reception will be held for each winner and their plus one following our selection. For more information regarding this scholarship application, please see below.

To be considered for this scholarship, applicants must:

• Be a senior enrolled in a public or private high school in the Hampton Roads cities of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Franklin, Gloucester, Hampton, Isle of White, Newport News, Poquoson, Southampton, Portsmouth, Williamsburg-James City, and York.
• Be accepted to an undergraduate curriculum at a 2 or 4 year college or university as a full time student and have proof of that acceptance.
  Have lost their parent or legal guardian to cancer.
• Show interest in their pursuit of personal excellence.
• Show interest in service and compassion for others vis a vis their school-based activities, community service activities, or work-related activities.
• Submit their resumé along with two letters of recommendation from the following list of possibilities (letters from individuals having 2 different roles in the life of the applicant is preferred): teacher, guidance counselor, coach, clergy, mentor or work supervisor (NOTE: letters of reference may NOT be submitted by family members).
• Submit an essay of no more than 500 words describing the circumstances around the loss of the parent or legal guardian to cancer, the impact on the family, and the way in which the applicant has shown exceptional character in his or her daily life, specifically deep caring and compassion for others as well as ongoing dedication to personal excellence.
• Agree to a face-to-face interview by the scholarship committee if requested.
• Submit to any and all verification procedures that the committee deems necessary.
• Agree to provide feedback to the committee about the benefit this scholarship has had on their pursuit of higher education if awarded.

Specifications:

• Number available: 5
• Submission Deadline Date: 6/1/2024
• School Year: 2024-2025
• Contact: Hunter Atherton (hunter@athertoncd.com)
• REQUIREMENTS:
  • Type: General
  • GPA: No
  • Financial Need Based: No
  • Extracurricular/Community Service: Yes
  • Minority: No
  • Gender Specific: No

If you wish to apply for the Kendra Ruestow Atherton Memorial Scholarship for Hampton Roads high-school graduates, it can be found here. 

Our board reviews these applications and votes on the best eligible candidates to be awarded based on their commitment to excellence, service and passion for others, and exceptional character. 

If you have additional questions regarding this scholarship, please contact Hunter Atherton at hunter@athertoncd.com. 

Kendra Ruestow Atherton Memorial Scholarship

The Kendra Ruestow Atherton Memorial Scholarship was created to benefit college students who lost a parent (or legal guardian) to cancer and display the qualities of Kendra. 

Kendra Ruestow Atherton was a cherished mother, companion and friend who lost her battle to a very aggressive form of cancer in November 2012 at age 43, leaving behind 3 beautiful children, 2 sisters, 4 nieces and nephews, and countless individuals who loved her dearly. She was exceptionally caring and compassionate and was dedicated to lifelong health and fitness. In November 2013, the first k5k: A Run for Kendra was held to remember her and to create this scholarship, and the event has become a tradition every November. Since then, we have awarded over $140,000 in scholarships!

The Kendra Ruestow Atherton Memorial Scholarship has two options for eligibility. The first option is eligible for college-bound high school seniors enrolled in a public or private high school in Hampton Roads. For more information on this scholarship option, click here. The second option is eligible for Virginia Tech students. For more information on this scholarship option, click here. 

Our board reviews these applications and votes on the best eligible candidates to be awarded based on their commitment to excellence, service and passion for others, and exceptional character.

If you have additional questions regarding this scholarship, please contact Hunter Atherton at hunter@athertoncd.com. 

On top of our commitment to the student of Hampton Roads, we are now allocating donations to impact the students of Virginia Tech, Kendra's alma mater. With this, we will be giving a scholarship(s) to an incoming Virginia Tech student who has lost a parent or guardian to cancer. The k5k family is very excited about this, as Virginia Tech was home to Kendra and many of her family members. In fact, Kendra's family was awarded with the 2019 Virginia Tech Family of The Year.

Our goal has always been, and always will be, to positively impact as many students as we can. Opening up a portion of the donations to Virginia Tech students gives us the opportunity for Kendra's name to grow through the place that she loved most. We will look to make an impact for the students of the school and the surrounding community. Now that we have a virtual option as well, we would love to see the students of Virginia Tech and the Blacksburg community participate in our mission to honor Kendra wherever the participants are. Please consider signing up, sponsoring, donating, or volunteering, and help us reach our goal of providing more scholarships to those students in need.

Kendra Ruestow Atherton Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship will be available to incoming Virginia Tech students. We anticipate making our decisions by July 30, 2024, and the scholarship money will be sent directly to Virginia Tech. A reception held in Blacksburg during the 2024-2025 School Year. For more information regarding this scholarship application, please see below.

Why Virginia Tech?

Kendra R. Atherton graduated from Virginia Tech in 1992 with a BS in Finance. She truly defined Ut Prosim and what it means to be Hokie. Not only did Kendra attend the school, but ten of her family members, including her children, have as well. The family made countless trips to Blacksburg as Kendra’s children, nieces and nephews were growing up. She absolutely loved Hokie football! In 2019, we actually won Virginia Tech Family of the Year! We know Kendra will always want to support her fellow Hokies. In years past, we have awarded a number of scholarships to incoming Virginia Tech students. We have since decided to dedicate some of our scholarships to incoming Virginia Tech students, because the school means so much to our family.  

To be considered for this scholarship, applicants must:

• Be enrolled as a full time student at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University for Fall 2024. The individual can be a senior enrolled in a public or private high school, current student enrolled at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, or current student at another 2 or 4 year college or university transferring to Virginia Tech.
• Have lost their parent or legal guardian to cancer.
• Show interest in their pursuit of personal excellence.
• Show interest in service and compassion for others vis a vis their school-based activities, community service activities, or work-related activities.
• Submit their resumé along with two letters of recommendation from the following list of possibilities (letters from individuals having 2 different roles in the life of the applicant is preferred): teacher, guidance counselor, coach, clergy, mentor or work supervisor (NOTE: letters of reference may NOT be submitted by family members).
• Submit an essay of no more than 500 words describing the circumstances around the loss of the parent or legal guardian to cancer, the impact on the family, and the way in which the applicant has shown exceptional character in his or her daily life, specifically deep caring and compassion for others as well as ongoing dedication to personal excellence.
• Submit an essay of no more than 500 words describing the applicant’s decision to go to Virginia Tech and/or what Virginia Tech means to the applicant.
• Agree to a face-to-face interview by the scholarship committee if requested.
• Submit to any and all verification procedures that the committee deems necessary.
• Agree to provide feedback to the committee about the benefit this scholarship has had on their pursuit of higher education if awarded.

Specifications:

• Number available: 5
• Submission Deadline Date: 7/1/2024
• School Year: 2024-2025
• Contact: Hunter Atherton (hunter@athertoncd.com)
• REQUIREMENTS:
• Type: General
• GPA: No
• Financial Need Based: No
• Extracurricular/Community Service: Yes
• Minority: No
• Gender Specific: No

If you wish to apply for the Kendra Ruestow Atherton Memorial Scholarship, it can be found here. 

Our board reviews these applications and votes on the best eligible candidates to be awarded based on their commitment to excellence, service and passion for others, and exceptional character. 

If you have additional questions regarding this scholarship, please contact Hunter Atherton at hunter@athertoncd.com.