Alexandra "Allie" Garnett Carruth's life will be celebrated during the Aliie Cat Run and Festival on Saturday in Meridian. 

8.9.10 is a day Leslie Carruth remembers. It’s her daughter’s birthday. She would have been eight last August.

As a way to honor her daughter and keep her memory alive, Alexandra “Allie” Garnett Carruth, Carruth holds the Allie Cat Run and Festival in April, National Donate Life Month. In its second year, the Meridian event raises awareness about the importance of organ donation. Because of her daughter’s organ and tissue donation, others continue to live, Carruth said.

The main goal of the event is honor and recognize organ donors, as well as those who received donated organs, she said.

Two years ago Carruth lost her daughter in an accident and decided to honor her life through organ donation. Allie’s two kidneys were donated to two different people. One went to an adult male and the other to a grandmother in Florida, Carruth said.

That would have made her daughter proud, Carruth said. She calls all organ donors and donor agencies superheroes since they save lives, like her daughter.

“Allie was our little superhero,” Carruth said.

Carruth, who is also an organ, eye and tissue donor, said she and husband made the decision to become donors after hearing about a family friend needing a kidney. Even though the person received a kidney, they don’t want another individual to go through the same thing that family went through in looking for donors.

Last year’s Allie Cat Run and Festival raised $50,000. Carruth hopes to exceed that amount this year. Funds from the event will go to an education fund for the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency and Donate Life. New this year, Carruth created the Allie Carruth Scholarship that will be given to a graduating senior in the area.

“We want it to be more successful,” Carruth said.

Carruth said this event is more like a thank you for the community since they were there when her family was going through a difficult time.

“Our community has been so supportive,” Carruth said.

The event will is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday on the Meridian City Hall lawn. The event will include a 5K run, a 2-mile run and kids run. Those wanting to become a sponsor or wanting to participate can contact Carruth and at 601-480-6056 or by email at carruth02@gmail.com.