OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Each year, hundreds of runners, walkers and families come together to “Run for Cash,” a memorial 5K and family race remembering Army Capt. Christopher Scott Cash. 

This year, race organizers have announced the annual scholarship fund will benefit Veterans Count Maine to support Maine military families. 
 
The race is scheduled for June 24 at Old Orchard Beach High School, rain or shine, beginning at 7:45a.m.

Runners and families can register for a 5K race or a 3 mile walk at runforcash.org.  Awards and cash prizes will be given for the winners of each category.
 
Cash is a New England native who discovered a love for running growing up in Old Orchard Beach. 

A 1985 graduate of Old Orchard Beach High School, Cash was a good athlete who excelled in track and cross country, qualifying for the national Junior Olympics and attending Dirigo State in his junior year.  After graduating, Cash joined the Army and after basic training requested admission to jump school at Fort Benning and was accepted.

After graduating from jump school and receiving his “wings” Chris requested admission to US Army Ranger School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and was once again accepted. Upon completion of Ranger training and receiving his “Ranger Tab”, Chris was assigned to the 82d Airborne Division, initially as a machine gunner but over time assumed more responsibilities as he moved up through the ranks as a non-commissioned officer. He earned a bachelor’s degree in North Carolina and was married and had two sons before he was deployed to Iraq.
 
At the time of his deployment to Iraq, Chris was the Commanding Officer of Company A, 1 st/120th Inf. Reg./ 30th Heavy Separate Brigade/30th Brigade Combat Team. Chris was killed along with Sp-4 Daniel A. Dessins Jr. on June 24, 2004 in Baqubah, Iraq in a fierce gun battle against more than 160 insurgents.  

Shortly after Chris’ death, in August 2004, Cash’s mother and stepfather planned the first “Run for Cash” event, which continues today in his memory.
 
For the past 12 years, Capt. Cash’s family has organized the race in his memory.  The Cash family has announced that beginning in 2018, Veterans Count and Easterseals Maine will take over the planning and coordination of the race – keeping Cash’s memory alive and fundraising for his fellow veterans.
 
“Knowing our event has meant so much to me and to my family, my community and beyond, I thought it was a wonderful idea to have Easterseals/ Veterans Count adopt the race,” said Cash’s mother, Nancy Kelley. “I look forward to many successful Race Days with the good people of Easterseals Maine/Veterans Count, and the wonderful work they do for our Veterans each year.
My son would be honored and proud, as am I.”
 
The Old Orchard Beach High School will continue to receive a $1,000.00 Captain Cash Memorial Scholarship each year.
 
Veterans Count Maine is the fundraising chapter in support of Easterseals Maine’s Military and Veterans Programs, which provides emergency financial assistance, information, counseling and referral to post 9/11 veterans and their families as they make the sometimes challenging transition from military service to civilian life. 

Services include help finding employment, housing, affordable vehicle / house maintenance services, and even food, rent, fuel, and heating oil in particularly dire situations.  The program is all philanthropic relies on grants, corporate sponsorship and private donor support.  

All funds raised stay here in Maine and 90 percent of every donation goes directly to program.  www.vetscount.org/maine