Father's Day run for fallen Mounties to be held annually

Friends and colleagues of three slain RCMP officers in Moncton are organizing another Father's Day run after last year's event brought in 7,000 participants.

The first event last year was organized less then two weeks after the three officers were killed and two others wounded and allowed people to show their support for officers and their families.

The event was billed as "3km For 3 Fathers" and it was held on Father's Day in June 2014.

"We ordered 500 T-shirts and thought we were being very generous," said Const. Christy Elliott, who helped organize the event.

Then more than 7,000 people showed up on Father's Day to walk or run the three kilometres.

"I still get goose bumps when I think about it," said Elliott.

Fellow organizer Armand Doucet knew the late Cst. Douglas James Larche through their shared love of running. He says he spoke to Larche's wife Nadine Larche to ask if she approved of the event, '[She] said `Yes, this would be a great way to honour him.'"

Elliott says last year's event was such a resounding success the decision was made to make it an annual Father's Day run.

"I think the community needed to come together, needed a spot to channel some of that sadness, and some of that energy and show these wives, and these families and these six little ones coming up behind their Daddies how supported they were," she said.

"It's important for us to make sure that Father's Day was not an empty day for them because we all loved their Daddies as well."

Elliott says an annual run was an obvious choice to commemorate the three men.

"They all had a component of physical activity and running was a beautiful match for all three of them."

This year's run will take place on June 21, starting at Bore Park.

"We're expecting huge numbers again this year," said Doucet.