It is with a heavy heart that we have to tell you that this year’s LIVE, IN PERSON Action For Distraction is being canceled by The Foundation for Morristown Medical Center out of an abundance of caution for the flu, COVID-19 and other seasonal illnesses, as well as in keeping with the CDC guidelines on social distancing. While we are canceling the live event on May 9th, we ARE keeping the event’s “Virtual 5K” option open! You can sign up through MIDNIGHT on MAY 9TH!!
ABOUT ZACH RICE
find out why it all began...
ABOUT ZACH RICE
find out why it all began...
AND HELP US KEEP IT GOING FOR KIDS LIKE ZACH!
AND HELP US KEEP IT GOING FOR KIDS LIKE ZACH!
For those of you who missed our first SEVEN events, they were a HUGE success! The Action For Distraction was born when Zach Rice was 10 years old, and recovering from his third surgery on his hip since he rang in 2011 in Morristown Medical Center, recovering from emergency surgery on a septic hip (age 9). After spending his fair share of time in the hospital because of it, and resulting avascular necrosis, and dealing with tremendous amounts of pain due to an external fixator, Zach made a decision. Since his stay at the Goryeb Children's Hospital was significantly better after his dad brought a gaming system from home for him to distract himself with, he decided he wanted to raise money to buy some gaming systems for other kids who go through something like what he went through in the hospital! So, he teamed up with Kids 4 Kids at the Foundation For Morristown Medical Center to put together this amazing charity event!! Combined, our first seven 5K's raised more than $150,000, and with some of that money, we were able to purchase 34 Sony PS3's ... now every room at Goryeb Children's Hospital has a gaming system!! Funds each year continue to go to gaming system upkeep and new games, as well as other means of distraction, like art and music programs for the kids! Check out more of Zach's story, in his own words!
For the Inaugural event in 2013, he had his fixator off for just a few weeks, and it took him well over an hour and the amazing support of his friends to cross the finish line. Fast forward to today, and he still has a slight limp, but he's ditched the cane, and he's once again planning the 5K every step the way for the 8th annual event!
**THE FOUNDATION FOR MORRISTOWN MEDICAL CENTER is sponsoring the event with us! Established in 1995, the Foundation is a nonprofit, public foundation whose mission is to inspire community philanthropy to advance exceptional health care for patients at Morristown Medical Center.
MISSION
Our mission is simple: To make hospital stays more pleasant for the 25,000 kids that go through Goryeb Children's Hospital every year. The gaming systems we supply not only distract kids from their pain, but they give kids something normal to do while visiting a sick friend in the hospital. Once we meet our obligations to maintain all the gaming systems, additional funds will fund art and music therapy programs at the hospital!
VISION
Zach's vision is to make sure each and every kid going through the hospital has access to something to distract them from their pain, and put them in the proper mindset to help the healing process along. Hopefully, with the business degree he's going to earn when he goes off to college, he'll be able to expand this idea of "The Action for Distraction" to come to children's hospitals across the country!
THE FAMILY THAT MAKES IT HAPPEN ...
THE FAMILY THAT MAKES IT HAPPEN ...
Zach Rice
Zach Rice
Action For Distraction
Action For Distraction
Shannon & Dan Rice
Shannon & Dan Rice
Mom & Dad
Mom & Dad