Remembering Kortni Botzet

• Kortni Botzet

A walk in Kortni’s memory will be held Saturday morning in Carlos. (Contributed photo)

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The life of an active little girl will be celebrated one step at a time this weekend in Carlos.

The Kortni Botzet Memorial 5K Run/Walk and Kids’ Fun Run Event is set for Saturday, July 14 at Carlos Elementary School in Carlos.

Registration and check in starts at 7:30 a.m. and the 5K run/walk starts at 8 a.m. At 9:15 a.m., the Kids’ Fun Run gets under way.

The goal is to raise money for a memorial scholarship, plus raise awareness for organ donation and water safety.

Kortni died May 2, 2010 when she drowned in the hot tub at the Holiday Inn in Alexandria. She was 6 years old.

Saturday’s run/walk event is being organized by Kortni’s mother, Nicole, and family and friends.

Nicole said, “I hope to keep her memory alive, help others and bring awareness to water safety and the importance of being an organ and tissue donor.”

Kortni’s family donated her tissue and organs and, according to Nicole, “with Kortni’s gifts, she was able to help 33 people live a better life. Doing this event gives us some happiness knowing that she will continue helping others.”

Kortni’s family and friends also want families to learn more about water safety, particularly the risks associated with children in hot tubs.

Plus, the Botzet 5K Fun Run is an opportunity to get people out and moving for a good cause.

“Kortni was a very active little girl, she was a friend to everyone and she loved gatherings,” her mom said. “Her favorite things were singing, dancing, playing at the beach, snowmobiling or just running around playing with her friends.”

Scholarship funds raised during the run/walk will first be given to Kortni’s classmates – the class of 2022 – and then to other students as years go by.

A silent auction will also be held during the run/walk. Some of the auction items include: a Milwaukee M18 cordless four-tool combo kit, lamps, beach basket, brand name watches, speedway tickets, ice cream for a year, several gift certificates and more.

The community is welcome to take part in the run or walk or stop by the silent auction on Saturday.

Registration information is available on Facebook at “Celebrating the Life of Kortni Anne Botzet” or by e-mailing kortnisPATH@gmail.com; registration will be accepted the day of the race.

After people take part in the run/walk, Nicole said she hopes people walk away remembering Kortni’s beautiful spirit, become organ donors and learn to be safe around water.

“Every day is another day that we have to take a step forward, get out of bed and go on without her. It’s hard. We miss her so much,” Nicole said. “We continue to keep her memory alive every day in our house – talking about what she did or what she would have done in a situation we are in that day. God, our friends, family and our community have been a huge support helping us on the journey that no parent should ever have to experience.”

Tags: local news, news, memorial, botzet, drowning, hottub