After losing their parents and their home in the April 27 tornadoes, the Sanders Sisters will benefit from a 5K and Fun Run scheduled for Aug. 27 in Ashville.

The Sanders sisters – Ciera, 14; Cassie, 20; and Cecily, 21 – grew up in the Shoal Creek Valley. When the tornadoes hit, all three girls were at home with their parents where they rode out the storm.

“The three of them and their parents were all in the same bathroom when the tornado leveled their house,” said Kristin Countryman, a family friend and organizer of the event. “The two parents died, and Cassie came pretty close to dying.”

After seven weeks of hospital care, including a month in the ICU at UAB Hospital and numerous surgeries to address a broken leg, arm, pelvis and other issues, Cassie was released in June.

“All three girls are athletic, but Cassie really loves running,” Countryman said. “She and her mother ran in 5Ks an 10Ks around the Birmingham and Gadsden areas, it was a hobby they enjoyed doing together, so that’s where we got the idea for this 5k and fun run.”

The 5K race will begin at 8 a.m. Aug. 27, with check-in beginning at 7 a.m. The fun run is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m., or when the 5K is complete. Registration cost is $30 per participant for the 5K and $15 per participant for the fun run. T-shirts will be provided to participants, and refreshments and live music will be on site during and after the event.

Funds raised during the event will go directly to the Sanders sisters, to fulfill any financial needs they have.

“The relief services like the Red Cross and FEMA are pretty particular. They just won’t give the girls – or any victims – money. If you need  a wheelchair, they’ll buy you a wheelchair, if you need food they’ll get you food, but these are teenage girls, and in their early 20s,”  Cassie and Cicely are starting at Jacksonville State, and they don’t have any money to buy things like a new bedspread for their apartment at school. They don’t have any way to pay for that, and they don’t have parents around to help them out with things like that.”

Despite her injuries in the storm, Cassie began walking about two weeks ago, and plans to walk the fun run with her sisters and other family members. In fact, Countryman noted that anyone who is unable to run or doesn’t wish to can walk or even register to watch the race instead of participating.

“It’s really laid back, and not really competitive. The main thing is just being there to show support,” she said.

For more information, visit www.sanderssistersrun.com.