FORKS — Orlando Oesacas, 8, said goodbye to home about three months ago as he set off to Seattle Children’s Hospital for leukemia treatment alongside his mother and two sisters.
Now, two Forks High School seniors back home are presenting #RunningFor Orlando, raising funds for his family’s living expenses through T-shirt sales at a free 5K run.
Taegan Counsell-Geyer and Ireni Ramos invite Forks community members to the run at 9 a.m. Saturday, beginning and ending at Forks’ Elk Lodge, 941 Merchants Road. Those interested can sign up at Pacific Pizza, 870 S. Forks Ave., today from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Lunch will be available in the lodge after the run, Ramos said.
T-shirts cost $25, and remaining sizes include five small shirts, 10 medium shirts, nine large shirts, nine extra-large shirts and seven double-extra-large shirts.
Counsell-Geyer and Ramos are organizing the run for their senior project at Forks High School.
Independent of the project, Orlando’s aunt, Angeles Brito, has set up an account at the First Federal Forks branch, 131 Calawah Way, for the family’s meals and travel expenses from Seattle to Forks. It is under “Angeles Brito-Orlando’s Recovery Account.”
Those who wish to donate can visit First Federal and provide the last four digits of the account (4315) or make checks out to Angeles Brito and write “Orlando” in the memo, Brito said.
Ramos, who said she lives near Orlando, recalled his sweet nature and said the cancer diagnosis happened “all of a sudden.”
For more information, contact Ramos at 360-640-5511 or Counsell-Geyer at 360-640-9563.
Ireni Ramos, left, and Taegan Counsell-Geyer, right, pose with Orlando, center, as they accept sign-ups for a 5K run Saturday. (Ireni Ramos)
