Hyco Memorial 5k

The 3nd Annual Hyco Memorial 5k kicks off at 8:45 AM.

The Doggie Dash will now be held at 11:30 to allow all racers to finish, attend the awards ceremony and then enjoy the fun of the Doggie Dash.

7:00 AM-8:30 am is packet pick up and same day registration (race day) The Civic Center Parking Lot!

Pre-race packet pickup   - TBD

 We will have BEER and wine available for those 21 and over with a valid ID!

Disposable bibs for the Timed 5k (meaning the timing chips are in the bibs) are back again this year!

Doggie Dash sponsored by Molly & Me Dog Bakery and will be happening around the pond in Chris Taylor Park with all participants receiving a Molly & Me Dog Bakery doggie racer bag and prizes will be awarded.

2018 there will be an expanded after race party. 

5K (timed divison) Race Categories

Prizes will be the specially designed Hyco Memorial 5K trophies overall top male and female finishers (top overall finishers are not eligible for individual age group prizes) and top male and female finishers in each age group, 2nd and 3rd place male and female finishers in each age group
Each runner who completes 5K receives special edition Hyco Memorial 5K dog tag (while supplies last), all participants who complete Doggie Dash receive dog bandannas (while supplies last).

Age groups;

9 and UNDER                                                                                                                                                                         10-15
16-19
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70 - up

After race celebration will have live band, silent auction, vendors, food vendors, a dog friendly photo booth, a kids area with crafts, and more to be announced as confirmed.

About This Activity
The Hyco Memorial 5K is being held to honor our fallen ACSO K-9 hero, Hyco and to raise money for K-9 Units across South Carolina.

On Wednesday October 21st 2015, Anderson County Deputies responded to a reported car-jacking in Townville. Deputies began looking for the stolen vehicle and spotted it on Highway 24. The vehicle eventually stopped and all the occupants bailed and began fleeing on foot near New Prospect Church Road. Deputy Surratt released K9 Hyco to give chase and one suspect turned and began firing gunshots at the Deputies and K9 Hyco. Hyco was determined to not let this continue and went full steam to stop this violent suspect, and was struck by gunfire while doing so. Deputy Surratt grabbed his injured partner and rushed to the emergency vet. Deputy K9 Hyco succumbed to a gunshot wound a short time after arriving at the hospital. Hyco, as you now patrol the Rainbow Bridge may you continue your vigilant watch over us all as we carry on in your Honor. We thank you for your service and for your sacrifice, We thank you for your life.  Rest In Peace K9 HYCO ... We Will Take It From Here.

The funds raised from the Hyco Memorial 5K will be used as needed to purchase items for K-9 teams across South Carolina.  Items purchased from the funds raised by this race include (but not limited to) collars, leads, food, vet care and a custom fit ballistic vest. Our goal is to make sure these incredible dogs have the best equipment available while they work making sure our families, homes and property are safe and secure. This fund also pays for specific needs of the K-9 handler such as specific training classes so they are the best they can be.

In the days following Hyco’s passing, the Anderson area community rallied with stickers and bracelets honoring K-9 Hyco. From there an idea to hold a 5K Run in Hyco’s honor was born. The 1st Annual Hyco Memorial 5K planned October 22nd 2016 almost a year to the day of Hyco’s passing. As the planning process developed and support was so strong a decision was made to apply to become an official charity with 501c3 status.  The idea was to honor Hyco and continue his work to help protect our community and other K-9s through the Hyco K-9 Fund.  All proceeds from this run went into the Hyco K-9 Fund.  The fund was set up to assist the Anderson County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit with costs not currently covered by their budget. This included things such as on-going training and equipment.

The purpose of K-9 Unit is to provide the citizens with trained police service dogs to help locate illegal narcotics, apprehend fleeing felons, detect explosive devices and find lost/missing persons. To accomplish this units often utilize several breeds of police service dogs such as blood hounds, German Shepherds, Dutch Shepherds Belgium Malinois and Labrador Retrievers, and more. These dogs have proven to be an asset to their departments and the communities. Each dog must be trained and certified in its particular duties. As officers must be continuously trained in law enforcement, so must police dogs. All of the training is conducted by the unit’s handlers and train weekly.

Many K-9 Units have little or no budget.  This makes it difficult to have updated training, protection gear, basic training gear and other supplies needed to make these K-9 units safe and the best they can be. Our goal is to assist these units, when possible, to acquire what is needed as they see fit.

We have received overwhelming support from so many people not just here in the Anderson area but many located across the state and the country. While Anderson County will always be home to our fund, after hearing of many other K-9 units in need of financial assistance we have decided to broaden our assistance to include the entire state of South Carolina.  As money and support permit we hope to grow from there.

Our goal is to help make every K-9 unit as safe as possible and the best they can be by offering the financial assistance to purchase items and training that may not be covered by their budgets.

Plan to stay for the after race celebration with live music, event related vendors, food available and much, much more!

Thank you for your interest and support.

Benefitting Hyco K-9 Fund

For more information call:

Lisa Marie Carter – 864.356.9857

Email: [email protected]