In June, six employees from Bravo-Fit, owned by Tanner Halton, and nine employees from OKTA Holdings, LLC, owned by Octavio and Kalpana Lubrano, along with two trainers, came together to sponsor the inaugural Sam Day 5K and Birthday Bash in Cedar Mill, Oregon.

The event, which had over 450 participants this year, was started in honor of Sam Day who was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare and relentless bone cancer, in 2010 at the age of 9. At diagnosis, Sam was said to have a 75 percent chance of surviving for five years or more, but after a year of remission, Sam relapsed and his prognosis became extremely poor. Sam kept fighting but passed away on Aug. 27, 2016, at age 15 after battling the cancer for six years. Soon after his passing, Sam’s family started the Sam Day Foundation to raise awareness for Ewing Sarcoma and to help fund medical advancements.

On June 23, what would have been Sam’s 17^th birthday, Cedar Mill residents came out in droves to support childhood cancer research and to participate in the first-ever Sam Day 5K. Planet Fitness^® was among supporters and was one of three main sponsors. While some employees manned a booth, others participated in the race. The group also provided a birthday cake to Sam’s family, and several trainers even led a warm-up with all of the runners. In addition, the Planet Fitness booth provided water and other PF^® swag and info.

“It’s awesome bringing the Judgement Free Zone^® outdoors, especially in Oregon. It was a pleasure supporting the Sam Day 5K with the Lubranos,” said Halton. “PF franchisees are involved in hundreds of these events across the continent, but with the passion and gratitude that you see in the franchisee community, it’s not a shock. Sometimes the four walls of a club just aren’t enough to contain the Judgement Free Zone.”