Racers are shown crossing the finish line of the 2024 65 Roses 5K, held each year on Lee’s campus to help raise funds for a cure for cystic fibrosis
The 2025 65 Roses 5K will be hosted at Lee University as part of the Great Strides event held to raise funds for a cure for cystic fibrosis. The race will take place on Saturday morning, March 29, along with the Great Strides Walk, and all proceeds from the event will go to benefit the CF Foundation.
“We are thrilled with all the support we have received from the community around this year’s event,” said Dr. Bill Estes, dean of Lee University’s Helen DeVos College of Education and race director. “We hope for another huge turnout from Cleveland and Bradley County students.”
The 65 Roses 5K run (3.1 miles) will begin and end on the Lee campus, in front of the Paul Conn Student Union, and all are welcome to run or walk the route. The cost to participate in the 65 Roses 5K race is $20 and the Fun Run cost is $5. Registered race participants will receive a pair of running socks, T-shirt, and a race bib number with official race timing provided by Terra Running Company.
Event day registration will begin at 7 a.m., but runners are encouraged to register early. Age-group winners will once again receive a special edition coffee mug. Race winners will be announced at 9:45 and posted online via Lee’s 65 Roses website.
“The proceeds from local walk teams that raise money, race registration fees, and business sponsorships all combine for a major contribution to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The foundation then turns those dollars into research for a cure and services that support the CF fighters in our community,” said Vanessa Hammond, Great Strides co-chair and parent of an adult son with CF. “We have experienced the impact, and it is truly life-changing!”
Chick-fil-A Chattanooga, Bradley Medical Center, Paul and Darlia Conn, and Easy Auto are elite sponsors of this year’s 5K and Great Strides Walk.
Premier Plus sponsors include Bank of Cleveland, Don Ledford Automotive Center, Eller & Owens Furniture, Hardee’s, and Tri-Con, Inc. Premier sponsors are Caldwell Paving and Grading, Cleveland Dental Associates - Dr. Ernie J. Oyler, Jr., Crawford’s Pharmacy, First Horizon Foundation, Keller Williams Cleveland - Steve Black, and Wright Brothers Construction Co., Inc. Kilometer sponsors are Andrew Johnson Bank, Ocoee Oral Surgery - Drs. Hunter & Paul McCord, and Southern Heritage Bank. Community sponsors are Cleveland Utilities Authority, Gobble’s Automotive, and Wedgewood Accounting, PLLC.
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a nonprofit donor-supported organization dedicated to attacking cystic fibrosis from every angle. Its focus is to support the development of new drugs to fight the disease, improve the quality of life for those with CF, and ultimately find a cure. Research is happening daily to find a cure and develop drugs available to those living with CF.
For more information or to register for the 65 Roses 5K, visit leeuniversity.edu/cf.
For more information about the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, cff.org/.