SACO — Since its inception in 1999, Mary’s Walk has raised more than $2.2 million for cancer research and programs.

The first year, there were a few hundred people at the event, said Mary’s Walk organizer Gene Libby. Mary’s Walk has grown over the years and now also includes the Kerrymen Pub 5K.

Last year alone, Mary’s Walk and the Kerrymen Pub 5k raised $300,000 for the Maine Cancer Foundation, and the combined walk and run attracted 5,000 participants, said Libby who founded Mary’s Walk.

“It’s a big event,” he said.

Mary’s Walk and the Kerrymen Pub 5K will be held on March 29. The race begins at noon at the Kerrymen Pub and the walk begins at Thornton Academy at 12:15 p.m. An awards ceremony with refreshments will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Kerrymen Pub.

The race and walk is typically held the Sunday before St. Patrick’s Day, but was delayed this week after talks with city officials over concerns with the amount of snow, said Libby.

Libby started Mary’s Walk in 1999 in honor of his late wife, Mary Kerry Libby, and as a way for him and others to deal with the grief of losing her and to make a difference by helping others.

Mary Kerry Libby died March 7, 1997 at the age of 44 from Burkitt’s Lymphoma.

“She was a people’s person,” said Gene Libby, of his late wife. “She always had to listen.”

Libby said she was fun-loving, empathetic, and had many friends.

The 21⁄2 mile walk follows the path his late wife walked daily.

David Arenstam is the race director for the 5K run. His wife, Teri, manages volunteers, and their three children have volunteered in different roles over the years.

“It’s really a family event,” said Arenstam, who has been a Mary’s Walk volunteer for more than 10 years, and is one of many with a long-term tradition of giving their time to the event every year.

Arenstam said he is always surprised how quickly his wife, who like he, is a teacher at Thornton, is able to fill all available student slots.

In addition to the hundreds of volunteers, there are numerous businesses and restaurants who give their support. The city’s public works and police departments work with Mary’s Walk organizers to make sure things run smoothly.

“I honestly think its one of the nicest community events I’ve seen,” said Arenstam.

A bronze plaque on the sidewalk on Main Street in downtown Saco has been dedicated to Mary Kerry Libby, as has the piece of the Eastern Trail behind Thornton Academy.

The event draws many people, and many return participants.

Everyone has been affected by cancer or know someone who has been affected by cancer, and the loss of someone with cancer resonates to many people, said Libby. Some people have gone to the event to honor a loved one or help with their own grief process, and find they really enjoy the event and want to come back every year, said Libby.

Money raised at the annual walk and run goes to the Maine Cancer Foundation, which gives grants to research and programs in the state. Cullen McGough, spokesman for the Maine Cancer Foundation, said more than a quarter of the money raised for the foundation over the years has come from funds generated from Mary’s Walk and the Kerrymen 5K.

For more information on Mary’s Walk or the Kerrymen 5k, go to http://maryswalk.org.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].