A Celebration of Life Since 2004
Every April, our community gathers to honor the memory of Alec William Nelson and raise funds for children and families in need. Join us for the 22nd annual 4-mile run through Dix Hills.
Our Story
When our third child Alec was born, he had the biggest, loveliest blue eyes. He was the happiest baby — easy to make laugh, loved by his siblings, and full of life from the very first day.
"It is our hope that in his death, he will have more of an impact on people's lives than most do."
In April 2004, our community came together for the first Alec's Run — a 4-mile race through Dix Hills in celebration of his short but joyful life. Over 500 people came. What began as an act of grief became something powerful: a community committed to protecting children and supporting families in need.
Alec's memory drives everything we do: funding children's lunches, sponsoring field trips, supporting bereavement counseling programs, and raising awareness about backover vehicle safety — a preventable tragedy that claims at least two young lives every week in America.
Read the Full StoryWhere Your Support Goes
We work alongside Kids And Cars to raise awareness about the blind zone behind vehicles — a preventable danger that injures thousands of children every year.
We fund school lunches, field trips, and after-school programs for children in our local district who otherwise wouldn't have access to these experiences.
Proceeds support the children's bereavement programs at Hospice Care Network — the same counselors who helped our own family find a path forward.
Race Details
Can't run? Make a donation to support the cause.
Support the Cause
Every dollar goes toward the children and families Alec's Run was built to serve — from school lunches to bereavement counseling to vehicle safety advocacy.
Memories
Partner Organizations
Working to make vehicles safer for children by addressing blind zones, heatstroke, and other preventable dangers.
kidsandcars.org →Exceptional bereavement counseling for anyone who has suffered a loss — the same compassionate care that helped our own family.
hospicecarenetwork.org →Providing recognition and resources for families who have lost a baby to stillbirth — a profound grief that deserves to be seen.
starlegacyfoundation.org →Resources, walks, and support for those affected by suicide — because no one should face this kind of loss alone.
afsp.org →Get In Touch
The 2026 date (April 25) is listed, but no start time appears anywhere on the current site. This is critical for the hero card and race details section.
RunSignUp has the details, but they should be surfaced directly on the website so visitors don't have to click away just to find pricing.
Do you have separate categories (e.g., kids' run, competitive, recreational)? This helps attract a wider audience and families with kids.
The impact strip shows "22 years, 500+ participants, $50K+ raised" — but these are estimates. Do you have accurate totals raised and distributed across all 22 years?
The current gallery links to a 2019 photographer's site. Do you have photos from recent runs (2020–2025) we can embed directly? Even 8–12 quality shots would transform the gallery.
The mockup shows a $10,000 goal at 63%. Is there an annual fundraising target? If so, a live progress bar via PayPal or a donation platform would be powerful.
Is there a web developer or the family manages it directly via WordPress? This affects what's realistic to build vs. what needs outside help.
PayPal works, but platforms like Stripe, Donorbox, or PayPal Giving Fund offer branded giving pages, recurring donations, and better reporting. Worth a conversation.
It works well, but should the registration flow be more deeply embedded on the site (iframe or widget) rather than sending users to an external URL?
This mockup uses sky blue and gold — a hopeful, warm palette that honors Alec's memory without being somber. Does this feel right, or would the family prefer different colors?
The current logo is a raster image (PNG). A vector version (SVG) would look sharp at any size. Do you have the original source files?
A simple Mailchimp signup would let the family collect emails year-round and notify past participants when registration opens each year. Is this something they'd want to manage?