Patti Nelson

FORWARD TWP — Friends and neighbors of the late Patti J. Nelson wanted to come up with a fun way to memorialize her and to raise money for her favorite beneficiary, the Evans City Public Library.

So they initiated the Patti J. Nelson Foundation Memorial 5K and Fun Run which will be at 9 a.m. April 23 at 400 Old Route 68, Evans City.

The event is named for the cofounder of the Nelson Charitable Foundation, which has for 19 years donated to non-profits and groups in and around Evans City. Patti and Jim Nelson started the foundation after a client-appreciation golf outing raised a significant amount of money.

The couple owned Nelson Financial Services in Evans City.

Patti Nelson died Oct. 5 from cancer, but her neighborhood friends still can imagine her walking her dogs each day around “the loop,” which is a three-mile section of Old Route 68 where she and Jim lived for 27 years.

That loop will be the course for the 5K.

“The neighborhood there is very close-knit,” said April Vitovsky, whose mother, Diane Raynovich, was Nelson’s close friend. “It’s more like a family.”

The other women who expressed an interest in somehow memorializing Nelson, all of whom live in or near “the loop,” are Sue Ann Jones, Carol English and Maureen Hartwick. They asked Vitovsky for help to plan the 5K, and the event was born.

“It’s a way to continue to celebrate her life and to further her charitable endeavors in the Evans City community,” Vitovsky said.

Proceeds from the 5K will benefit the library.

Vitovsky said Nelson and her husband over the years donated thousands to the library through their foundation.

“She fought for her organizations within that foundation, and it was her wish to have her own foundation benefit the library,” Vitovsky said.

Her husband created the Patti J. Nelson Foundation soon after his wife’s death. He said her many relatives, friends and neighbors donated to the new foundation in her memory.

“There’s over $40,000 in there from individual donations,” he said. “It’s because she was a great person.”

He said the foundation will exclusively benefit the library, where Patti served on the board at least six or seven times. She was the board’s president in 2015.

“I’m just blown away,” Jim Nelson said of the 5K. “It’s really heartbreaking and touching at the same time.”

He said holding the 5K on “the loop” is perfect because it was where Patti walked the couple’s English toy spaniel and German shepherd-doberman pinscher mix each and every day.

Vitovsky said more than 100 runners and walkers have signed up for the event, in which children and non-runners can participate in the one-mile walk.

She said those interested in participating can get information and sign up and pay at www.pattijnelsonfoundation.com. The cost is $25 for the 5K, which includes a T-shirt, or $20 for the one-mile portion, which includes a medal of participation.

Awards in various categories will be presented to the winners of the 5K, and all participants will receive a goody bag.

Runners and walkers are invited to attend an after-party.