09/15/2015
Thank you all so much for the support of the Hank Thompson Trek and Treat for the past six years. After much discernment, we have made the difficult decision that 2014 was the final Trek and Treat. We cannot thank you enough for all the love and support you have shown our family through Hank’s illness and death to the creation of the Trek and Treat.
When we decided to create a lung cancer event, none of us had ever participated in a 5k, much less created one from scratch. Yet, when we asked for your support, you responded in more ways than we could have imagined. We appreciate every dollar that you donated, whether through sponsorships or personal donations. We are so grateful to all of you that generously gave of your time to help blow up balloons, stuff race packets, serve as course monitors, sell tickets, monitor a bouncy house or register runners, especially during those very cold years. Additionally, we are thankful to all the people who participated in the event as runners and walkers, along with all the vendors, shoppers, kids and families that supported the Halloween Festival.
With your generosity and support, we raised $234,170 over the six years. With Uniting Against Lung Cancer, all the proceeds were used to fund four lung cancer research grants, three of which were awarded to Vanderbilt University and one to Duke University. We are also very proud of the fact that we started the first lung cancer event in Tennessee and increased awareness in our community. We thank all those at Uniting Against Lung Cancer for their hard work and dedication to find a cure for lung cancer. We appreciate their partnership and for giving us an opportunity to create a personal event in which we could pay tribute to Hank while raising funds for lung cancer research.
Though the form of our support has changed, we will always be advocates in the fight against lung cancer. Sadly, we have continued to see many friends lose loved one to this horrible disease. The Hank Thompson Research Fund will continue to accept donations and fund research grants. If you would like to continue to support lung cancer research, donations can be made at www.lungfund.org/donate. We will continue to update our website and page of ways to support lung cancer research and any local events.
Again, we extend our sincerest gratitude for all the love and support you have given our family and the Hank Thompson Trek and Treat.
Gratefully,
The Thompson Family
