MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – A brand-new event is taking place this weekend that hopes to help many people who may be overlooked in our communities.
This weekend marks the inaugural “Nick’s Run for Recovery”, which aims to raise money with a goal of supporting and opening more sober living houses for those who need them.
A 5 K and 10 K recovery run/walk will start from the bell tower located in Marquette’s Lower Harbor. Honoring the memory of Nicholas Suardini a beloved friend and family member who lost their battle with addiction a year ago, taking his own life.
Sarah Suardini is hosting the event for her brother and told us, “My brother was definitely somebody who was caught in the cycle a lot, he was caught in the cycle of, um, using and then ending up in jail because of it, and then. You know, going into toxic relationships or being around people who are also suffering from addiction.”
And why giving recovering addicts a safe sober place to live, Sarah feels would have given Nick an opportunity to thrive and possibly have saved her brother’s life and from her work experience, she shared, “I do get to see firsthand the difference that it makes being the program supervisor at our men’s house here in Marquette. I do get to see people transition into successful lifestyles, um, that do get to break that cycle, and you get to have a success story.”
With an end goal of providing more sober living places for recovering addicts in Marquette, this event hopes to raise funds to one day purchase and open up a new one, said Sarah, and she added, “It would be a dream if we could raise enough money this year, otherwise we’re just looking to, you know, put this money in an account and let it add up.”
The race starts this Saturday at 10 am, and registration is available online at run4nick.org or in person at Elizabeth’s in downtown Marquette at 9 am. The cost is 25.00 per person.
