Meridian resident Robert Carleton studied the faces and names printed on signs and placed in a corner of the city hall lawn at Saturday’s sixth annual Allie Cat Run & Festival.

Some of the faces were older, some were way too young, and some appeared familiar to him. Despite their differences, the one thing they all had in common was that their owners gave the gift of life by being organ donors.

“I did not realize Mike Leach was an organ donor or Officer Kennis Croom was, too,” Carleton said. “I just saw a person over here I grew up with. I did not know she was an organ donor.”

Leach, the Mississippi State head football coach who passed away last fall, and Croom, a Meridian Police officer killed in the line of duty last summer, were both organ and tissue donors.

One face that was not a surprise to Carleton was the smiling image of 6-year-old Allie Carruth, who was the reason hundreds of area residents were gathered on a beautiful sunny spring morning for a 5K run and festival.

Alexandra “Allie” Garnett Carruth, the daughter of Meridian residents Leslie and Bill Carruth, passed away following a tragic accident in spring 2017.

They created the Allie Cat Run & Festival to honor her memory, as well as to bring awareness to organ, eye and tissue donation and to recognize donors, recipients and their families.

During the event, the Meridian Museum Art Collective, which includes Leslie Carruth, unveiled its latest mural for around town, one painted in honor of Croom and his service to the community.

The city hall lawn was bustling with activity Saturday as hundreds of people made their way from the race to the festival area. Children ran from games to bounce houses to pony rides to face painting as their parents tagged along or stopped to talk with friends. The 5K run and walk, along with a kids fun run, drew participants from as far away as Texas and North Carolina.

“Every year it gets a little bit bigger,” Bill Carruth said.

The event, which is held prior to National Donate Life Month in April, has raised more than $300,000 in its first five years. Organizers were hoping to bring in $100,000 with this year’s festival.

The largest recipient of the proceeds raised is the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency, which uses the funds to promote organ and tissue donation. Nationwide, more than 100,000 people are currently on a list waiting for a life saving transplant, including 1,300 in Mississippi.

Proceeds also go to the Allie Carruth Scholarship, the nursing program at Meridian Community College and other local nonprofit organizations.

“Bringing recognition to organ donation was one of the main reasons we started the event, but we also like to give back to the community because the community has been very supportive of us,” Carruth said.

The family and organizers are amazed by how popular the event has become.

“My older son was friends with Allie so every year we make it a point to come,” said Sitwat Bokari, who was entertaining her young daughter, Zoonay, with bubbles and a yellow balloon. 

Stacy Branning said she saw an ad for the event, so she brought her children to enjoy the activities, including face painting, pony rides and games.

“I thought let’s just get the kids out and have some fun,” she said.

Meridian resident Kelly Evans enjoyed the slide with her niece, 19-month-old Mallie Kate Evans. She and her brother, Andrew Evans, brought Mallie for a day of fun and to support the Carruth family. Apparently, the slide and cookies were Mallie’s favorite things.

“Allie went to our church at First Presbyterian so we are coming to support the event,” Andrew Evans said.