By Mariya Manzhos

Last Sunday morning nearly 400 participants gathered at the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse on the Mystic River Reservation to run a 5K race in support of lives affected by addiction.

Organized by the Ryan Harrington Foundation for the first time, this year’s race was held in memory of Sean P. Curtis, a 30-year-old Somerville resident who lost battle to addiction in March.

The founders of the Ryan Harrington Foundation, Cathy and Dave Harrington, have been touched by a similar tragedy; in 2011 their son Ryan died of heroin overdose. Since 2012, the Harrington family has been active in raising awareness about substance abuse in Somerville and supporting other families in coping with the loss caused by addiction.

The title of the fundraiser, Just One Race, encompassed the foundation’s philosophy: if just one individual can sustain their recovery, the work has been successful. According to organizers, the proceeds from the race will directly impact the lives of those struggling with addiction.

After the race, the representatives from the AIDS Action Committee’s Cambridge Needle Exchange program gave a workshop on how to administer nasal Narcan and distributed kits.

Other organizations, such as Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery (MOAR), Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing (GRASP), Serenity at Summit, and Learn to Cope had informational stands set up.

The kids were entertained by Shriner’s clowns, the bubbles from the Inventor Mentor and face painting. McGruff the Crime Dog was also spotted among the attendees.

“It really was a great community event,” says Jesse Clingan, Somerville resident and one of the organizers. “It captures what the Somerville I grew up in is all about. Families supporting families, and people coming out to to make a difference.”

~Photos courtesy of the Ryan Harrington Foundation