HARROGATE, Tenn. — An estimated 175 people joined festivities at Harrogate City Park on Saturday in honor of Casey Pannochia, resulting in donations exceeding $4,000 to benefit research of Polymyositis.

Casey was a young college student from New Tazewell who lost her life in 2009 of the arthritic condition. There is currently no cure for the disease, so to raise awareness and money for research, The Pannochia family and the Arthritis Foundation teamed up to hold the first annual “Let’s Move for Casey” fun walk, with all donations going to fund research of polymyositis.

Casey’s youngest sister, Emily, remembers how the idea for the event was born. “Me and my Mom were talking one day and we remembered how Casey loved running and loved being able to move so much. We thought that if we had a walk-a-thon, where people could run or walk, either way, it would remind us so much of her.”

Emily says that she remembers Casey expressing a desire to participate in a walk-a-thon for a good cause. The family hopes to hold the event every year around Casey’s birthday, June 10th, in her memory.

Virginia Babb, of the East Tennessee chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, helped to organize the event.

“We were very honored to be contacted by the Pannochia family, I know that they have gone through a lot this year,” Babb told the crowd before the start of the run. “We wanted to let everyone know that arthritis can affect young people and obviously it can have tragic ends for them. Some of these diseases can be crippling, and some can be life-threatening. And so we’re so happy that everyone came out today to support the Arthritis Foundation, research for polymyosistis and the Pannochia family.”

Fun walk participants walked or ran distances ranging from half a mile to a full 5K. Events also included face painting, tie-dying, and a performance from bluegrass band Tazewell Pike.

For more information, or to make a donation, visit the website letsmove4casey.org.  

Lorie Settles is a correspondent for the Middlesboro Daily News.