Brewery to Bathroom brings in $6,000 to combat cancer

Outside Kenai River Brewing on Sunday, dozens gathered in support of cancer research to take on a walking trail where the next break or snack is never out of sight. This year’s Brewery to Bathroom .5K raised more than $6,000 for the American Cancer Society.

The annual event, a sort-of parody of 5K charity runs, encourages athletes not to break a sweat and has for several years drawn a dedicated crowd of “.5K-ers.” Ahead of the race, the group warmed up by miming the operation of a television remote — channel surfing — or eating Cheetos — synchronized snacking.

Speaking before the race, organizer Alana Martin said the American Cancer Society has invested billions toward researching drugs that target cancer cells, tools to help detect and predict cancer and otherwise seeking a cure. In Alaska last year, she said, the society has donated nearly $100,000 in transportation grants, provided 86 free rides, 133 free flights and 375 free nights to patients seeking treatment.

Until cancer no longer impacts people’s lives, she said, the work will continue to be necessary.

“I’m not a doctor, I’m not a researcher, but I can walk a third of a mile and eat doughnuts every year until we get there.”

The race follows a route from the brewery to the bathrooms at nearby Soldotna Creek Park. After the first bend, a line formed to take a rest in a couch. Within sight of the couch, Kenai Watershed Forum staff operated a hydration station where water, granola bars, pretzels and chocolate were available in ample supply.

At the halfway point, reached after maybe five minutes of walking, the Kenai Lions were set up and slinging doughnuts. A selfie station was next to their tent.

Some younger kids ran the route several times around .5K-ers who moseyed their way along the path, stopping to take a seat or enjoy the snacks.

Martin said Tuesday that she was happy to see the event continue to grow, this year setting a new fundraising record at $6,274.80. Total, in five years of the race, the Brewery to Bathroom .5K has garnered over $25,000 in donations.

Though attendance numbers weren’t final, Martin said she thought this year’s was also the largest crowd of people. The .5K draws a familiar group, Martin said, some people she sees every year. A pair of large groups with coordinated costumes and signs — the Kenai Peninsula Outdoors Club and the Dino Divas — are becoming a familiar sight.

This year was also the first to offer sponsorships. Martin said two of the sponsors, Credit Union 1 and Aspen Hotels of Alaska, turned out groups of their people to join the fun.

The Dino Divas were this year named the “.5K-est,” best exemplifying the spirit of the race. Martin pointed to their themed signs, which called to “Make cancer extinct” and “Check yourself before you Rex yourself” as a fun representation of the event’s humor.

That humor at the heart of the race, she said, is what makes the .5K special. It “makes my heart happy,” she said, to see so many people coming out and buying into her silly jokes while also donating their time and money.

“Cancer is a really serious, hard, sad topic,” she said. “It’s nice to be able to celebrate the wins and have it be a fun, exciting party atmosphere — while still fundraising and doing good work.”

For more information, find “2024 Brewery to Bathroom .5k ‘The Race for the Rest of Us’” or “American Cancer Society Events – Kenai Peninsula” on Facebook.

This story was corrected on Tuesday, Aug. 13, to add that the American Cancer Society donations described in Alaska were specifically in 2023.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.