On June 29, the Joggin' for Jaelyn for MADD 5K will be held at Wilson Park in Maynardville. This annual event honors the memory of Jaelyn Collins and critically injured Ashton Bailey, two young women tragically struck by a drunk and distracted driver on June 27, 2021. The purpose of this 5K is to bring awareness to the devastating consequences of drunk and distracted driving. All proceeds from the event will go to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to support their efforts in awareness and prevention.
In 2022, 13,524 people died in alcohol-related crashes, and 3,308 fatalities were caused by distracted driving - all 100% preventable. "With 13,000 victims each year, there are too many families affected by this senseless tragedy," said Angela Bailey, a co-founder of the Jaelyn Ryanna Collins Memorial 5K. "We are committed to raising awareness in our community and hope the event can save even one life."
The inaugural Joggin' for Jaelyn for MADD 5K was held in 2022 and has continued to grow. In addition to the 5K race, the event features food trucks, vendor booths, and tributes to victims of drunk and distracted driving provided by ICare Union County. Community members are encouraged to register, donate or form a team to participate in the Joggin' for Jaelyn for MADD 5K on Saturday, June 29.
To sign up, please visit Jaelyn Ryanna Collins Memorial 5K at https://runsignup.com/race/TN/Maynardville/MADD5K