Runners and walkers gathered beneath charred landmark three days before Eaton Fire anniversary

More than 3,000 runners and walkers gathered Sunday beneath the charred brick façade of the Woodbury Building for the inaugural Altadena Forever Run, a benefit event that organizers say raised an estimated $100,000 for residents displaced by the Eaton Fire. 

The building’s owner, Joey Galloway, whose family had owned the property on East Mariposa Street for 42 years, agreed to leave the skeletal remains of the structure standing through race weekend at the request of co-organizer Victoria Knapp. The deliberate preservation created a starting line monument to what was lost when the fire swept through Altadena on Jan. 7. 

“I specifically asked the building’s owner to leave the skeletal brick remains standing through the weekend as a visible reminder to folks who had not ever been here, about what happened here,” Knapp said. 

The event took place three days before the one-year anniversary of the Eaton Fire, which burned 14,021 acres, destroyed more than 9,400 structures and killed at least 19 people. In Altadena, 66 percent of the community was destroyed. 

Registration Exceeded Expectations 

Organizers confirmed 3,100 registered participants as of the Saturday before the race, a turnout 15 to 30 times larger than typical Los Angeles County Sheriff’s station community runs, which usually attract 100 to 200 participants. The Los Angeles Times reported that nearly 2,000 runners completed the courses. 

The diverse participant base included fire survivors, families with children, high school cross-country teams and law enforcement personnel. Some participants traveled from as far away as New York to show solidarity with the Altadena community.

The event featured three distances starting from Mariposa Junction at 849 E. Mariposa St.: a 10K run beginning at 8 a.m., a 5K walk/run at 8:15 a.m. and a 1K family walk. Children 10 and under participated free in the 1K. Each finisher received a medal symbolizing perseverance, serving as a reminder that “from the ashes, Altadena Forever Runs.” 

Captain Ethan Marquez of the Altadena Sheriff’s Station, who co-organized the event with Knapp, designed the 10K course to pass through neighborhoods in various stages of rebuilding. The route traveled past Charles White Park and through streets where homes under construction stood alongside cleared lots marked with foundations. 

Marquez, a 26-year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department who was promoted to lead Altadena Station in August and is himself a marathon runner, had originally conceived a modest sheriff’s station community run scheduled for Feb. 1. The Eaton Fire forced cancellation. 

“Obviously. For many reasons. It wasn’t appropriate,” Marquez said of the postponement. 

Proceeds Support Displaced Residents 

Proceeds will be split between the Altadena Eaton Fire Relief Fund, established in partnership with GoFundMe.org, and the Sheriff’s Support Group of Altadena, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 

Research by the nonprofit Department of Angels found that eight in 10 Eaton Fire families remain displaced, with most running out of insurance housing coverage in the coming months. More than one in three families are expected to be forced to move again within months as remaining housing funds run out. 

Marquez said he spoke with participants who had lost their homes in the fire. 

“They thanked me, but it was really everybody involved in the race, the run, for doing something like this for the community,” Marquez said. “The community really needed it.” 

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna, who participated in the race, addressed the crowd during the 7 a.m. opening program. 

“This is all about community. Altadena is our community,” Luna said. “It’s never lost upon us the 19 neighbors that we lost out here, everyone who lost their homes, but this is about a year later, and if you look around, this is about community spirit.” 

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose Fifth District includes Altadena, also attended. 

“A lot of these people here today are survivors, and they are out supporting one another,” Barger told KTLA. “That’s just what Altadena is about.” 

The LA Laker Girls attended to cheer on runners, and KTLA’s Wendy Burch served as emcee for the opening program. 

“It’s so amazing, for the first year of the race, to see this many people,” Burch said. “I think it’s symbolic…Altadena is running into the new year as they rebuild this area. It’s just terrific.” 

Rain Arrives but Event Proceeds

Heavy rain developed during the event, part of an epic stretch of Southern California precipitation that put Los Angeles County under a flood advisory until 10 p.m. Sunday. As of Sunday morning, the region had received nearly 14 inches of rain since Oct. 1, approaching the average rainfall for an entire 12-month season. 

“By the time the last runners and walkers reached the finish line, it was pouring rain heavily, but the community’s spirit remained unwavering,” Knapp said. 

The Altadena Sheriff’s Station hosted the event in partnership with the nonprofit Los Angeles Sheriff’s Athletic Association. SoCalGas served as title sponsor, with additional support from GoFundMe, East West Bank, First City Credit Union and Toyota of Pasadena. 

No incidents, accidents, injuries or safety concerns were reported during the event, according to organizers. 

Knapp said the run will continue annually. 

“The Eaton Fire forever changed Altadena,” she said. “Next year and for the foreseeable future, we will always commemorate the anniversaries.”