Lunar New Year 5k brings out 450 runners, a dozen dogs, and a couple of dragons

Photos by Mike Remarcke

450 runners, a dozen dogs, and one dragon gathered on the Interurban Trail at 175th on Sunday, February 25, for the 3rd Annual 5K Lunar New Year Run and Walk to benefit the International Community Health Services Foundation. A major ICHS clinic is located in Shoreline at 16549 Aurora Ave, with medical and dental services.

Costume judging. Dog 3rd from left won.

The theme was "Run, Walk, or Howl into the Year of the Dog" and local runners and walkers of both the four- and two-legged variety brought in the Lunar New Year to help local families who cannot afford medical care. 

You can't hold a New Year event without a dragon

Each year, the ICHS Foundation hosts this annual 5K to raise private dollars to help pay for the costs of uncompensated care at ICHS. In recent years, facing federal challenges, the ICHS 5K has taken on added importance.

In 2016, they served over 28,660 unduplicated patients, their largest number ever, in over 50 different languages, at their medical-dental clinics in the International District, Holly Park, Bellevue, and Shoreline, Seattle World School, Asian Counseling and Referral Services, and at the mobile dental clinic. 

Some ran, some jogged, some walked
and a few just came for the fun

This year, 450 people registered for the Run and 340 crossed the finish line - a new record for participation. The event raised over $30,000 for uncompensated care to ensure that healthcare remains accessible for all.

“Facing challenges in federal funding, ICHS rely on events such as the 5K Walk and Run to serve the needs of our community,” said Ron Chew, ICHS Foundation executive director.

Celebrating the theme and keeping warm on a very cold day

Lunar New Year 5K sponsors included: East West Bank, Coordinated Care, Amerigroup, Aurora Rents, Community Health Plan of Washington, One Cup Coffee, Shoreline Rotary, Sam’s Club, Uwajimaya, Miller Hayashi Architects, City of Shoreline, HomeSight, Mei-Ling Woo State Farm Agency, Merchants Parking Association, Molina Healthcare, SCIDpda, Shoreline Community College, Viet-Wah Group, Recology, and WPI Real Estate Services.

The first to cross the finish line was far ahead of the rest.

International Community Health Services (ICHS) Since its founding in 1973, ICHS has grown from a single storefront clinic in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District with deep roots in the Asian Pacific Islander community, to employ more than 500 people and serve nearly 29,000 patients at eight clinic locations in 2016.