This Saturday, residents will turn out at The Sand Bar for a cemetery run race to help raise funds for our local police and fire departments.

Organizer Rex Jones said 100 percent of the funds will go directly to the purchase of turnout gear for Selma firefighters and for bulletproof vests for Selma police officers.

The idea for the race came to Jones after a young boy was shot on a street in west Selma, and a few weeks later a Selma police officer was ambushed and shot just off Broad Street.

“When that young man was shot we put a message on the sign at Vasser’s that said ‘pray for Selma,’” Jones said. “That message was shared throughout the community and people were looking for a way to help. Then there was a fire locally where a fireman had a problem with having appropriate turnout gear, so the idea came to me that we wanted to do something to raise funds to help solve that problem. And when the officer was shot, we realized we needed to include helping equip them with vests, and the ball really got rolling.”

Officer Micah Hale was ambushed on the early morning of Sept. 23 while out on patrol.

Selma Police Chief, Spencer Collier said that it was one of the department’s worst fears to have this happen to one of their own being attacked in an almost military-style ambush.

Equipment has been a big issue for both departments, and this event is one way that we as citizens can give back to those who keep us safe by raising funds to keep them safe.

There will be a 5K and 1-mile fun run with open registration beginning at the Sandbar restaurant at 8 a.m. The race will begin at 9 a.m. Corporate sponsorships are $700 and $250, with individual registration fees of $20. Runners can signup at https://runsignup.com/Race/AL/Selma/TheCemeteryRun or on the day of the race. Donations can also be made through the website or at the race.