Allie Cat Run & Festival Seventh annual event brings awareness to organ donation
Allie Cat Run & Festival Seventh annual event brings awareness to organ donation
Alexandra Garnett Carruth , nicknamed Allie , was a bright , vivacious , fearless and spunky little girl who loved life and loved making new friends .
She loved to write her name in cursive even though her teacher kept telling her she wasn ’ t supposed to do that . She loved dressing up and performing , with dreams of being a singer when she grew up . Extremely smart , she could recite John 3:16-17 from a very young age .
“ She started reading at like age 3 , so by the time she was in first grade , she was reading fourth and fifth grade chapter books . She was very smart ,” said her mom Leslie Carruth .
Story and Photos by Glenda Sanders
Allie Carruth dressed as a daffodil for her school play . Photo courtesy of Leslie Carruth .
Allie played a strategic game of Uno and would trounce opponents .
“ I don ’ t mean you letting her win ,” Leslie said , laughing . “ She would watch what you did , and then she would be like boom , boom , boom , boom , Uno , boom . And you are left holding like 500 cards .”
In January 2017 , a couple of months before the 6-year-old died tragically in an accident , Allie was in a play at Lamar Elementary School , where she was a first-grade student . Dressed as a daffodil , she was only supposed to introduce herself during the performance .
“ She did a play in January , and she goes to say her name and says , ‘ I ’ m Alexandra Garnett Carruth . I hope everybody has a Daffodil Day ,’” remembers Leslie . “ I was like , ‘ Who told you to say that ?’ And she said , ‘ No one . I just ad libbed .’”
More than 600 runners and walkers signed up to participate in the 2023 Allie Cat Run 5k Run , 5k Walk and Kids Fun Run with hundreds more turning out for the festival .
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