LT’s South Campus was overflowing with people as community members united to remember and celebrate the life Kelli O’Laughlin ‘15, a former LT freshman whose life was taken by a burglar in her home in Oct. 2011. Over 600 community members came out to participate in this year’s Run for Kelli.

“Run for Kelli is a chance for us to bring the community together to celebrate Kelli’s life and raise funds to continue the work we have started in her name,” Kelli’s father John O’Laughlin said. “It’s amazing and gratifying the support we receive.”

This year’s Run for Kelli included a 5K run, one mile walk, and a 50-yard dash. Both the 5k run and the one mile walked were filled with participants of all ages while children 8 and under were given the opportunity to race their way through a 50-yard dash. This year’s Run for Kelli also reached far outside of Western Springs. Those who could not physically attend the race were encouraged to form teams and run elsewhere. These teams received pledges and support to raise money.

“To be able to come back and help out is very humbling,” former recipient of the KJO Scholarship Austin Buen-Gharib said. “There’s always a wonderful turnout and it’s very special to see a lot of girls who are Kelli’s age which makes it even more special.”

Along with Buen-Gharib, this year’s run brought back four other former KJO Scholarship recipients including Anna Doten, Brianna McCormick, Jenna Stobbe and Michael Shea.

“It means a lot to be a recipient of the scholarship and having the opportunity to come back and help out means a lot to me,” Buen-Gharib said.

The Run for Kelli is an event that raises money for the Kelli O’Laughlin Memorial Foundation (KJO Memorial Fund). This year alone, the Run for Kelli raised over $35,000. The KJO Memorial Fund has handed out 47 scholarships totaling $295K since 2012, according Kelli’s mother Brenda O’Laughlin. The foundation also sends a child who has gone through an abusive situation to Camp Tecumseh in Brookston, Indiana. Additionaly, during the Holiday Season, the Foundation presents gifts to the children at Maryville Academy.

“The Run for Kelli represents a focal point for our foundation,” John said. “This is the event everyone can come to and see what the foundation has been doing. This day is for people to come together in person to celebrate the accomplishments of the foundation.”