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Ellie's Army "Dirty Socks 5K Run and Walkathon" Returns To Help Those Battling A Terminal Illness

AVENTURA (CBSMiami) -- Runners and walkers of all ages, races and sizes came out early Sunday morning to the third annual 3rd annual Dirty Socks 5K Run & Walkathon in Aventura.

The event raises money for families with children and young adults battling life-threatening illnesses.

Stacey and Brian Levy founded the organization after losing their daughter Ellie at age 23 to Cystic Fibrosis.

The name Dirty Socks comes from the doctors who told Ellie and patients like her, to do daily walks and dirty their socks as they lap the halls of the hospital to get better.

"All children in the hospital wear medical socks and some of them can only walk a few steps and today we are walking for them and today we are walking for Ellie," said Stacy Levy.

"Our goal would be to gross $131 thousand because 31 is a special number to us from Ellie beating her lap record by 1 so with 31 that's what we always hang our hat on," explained Brian Levy.

ELLIES ARMY
(CBS4)

CBS4 Entertainment Reporter Lisa Petrillo was the emcee of the event which included more than 500 people who participated in the run-walk-a-thon and virtual event which raised more than $100,000 for Ellie's Army, both here and all over the world.

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