Survive and Thrive in Irvine empowers crime victims - OCRegister

IRVINE About 800 people attended the 2017 Survive and Thrive 5K Run/Walk Health and Safety Expo to help raise money for crime survivors, an organizer said.

The event on Saturday, April 8, at Mason Regional Park featured a run and walk, push-up tribute, survivors dove release, as well as live entertainment and vendors during the expo.

It was organized by Irvine-based Crime Survivors, dedicated to helping victims and survivors of crime.

Hundreds of Orange County and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Academy cadets, as well as cadets from local police department academies, do pushups in unison to show solidarity with crime survivors and family members of crime victims before the start of the 13th annual Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk at Mason Park in Irvine on Saturday morning, April 8, 2017. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)
Jason Brandley, brother of Robbin Brandley, who was murdered in 1986 at Saddleback Community College, releases a dove during the opening ceremony at Saturday’s Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk and Safety Expo on April 8 in Irvine’s Mason Park. Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Tina Mora, sister of Cathy Torres, who was murdered in 1994, releases a dove during the opening ceremony at Saturday’s Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk and Safety Expo on April 8 in Irvine’s Mason Park. Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Runners take off for the start of the 13th annual Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk 5K in Irvine’s Mason Park on Saturday, April 8, 2017. Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Cadets from the Orange County Sheriff’s Academy run together in the 13th annual Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk at Mason Park in Irvine on Saturday, April 8, 2017. Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk 5K participants make their way through Irvine’s Mason Park during Saturday’s 13th annual event on April 8, 2017. Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Cadets from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Academy run together in the 13th annual Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk at Mason Park in Irvine on Saturday, April 8, 2017. Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
The Irvine Police Color Guard presents the flag while Orange County Sheriff’s Academy cadets look on before the start of the annual Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk at Irvine’s Mason Park on Saturday, April 8, 2017. Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Costa Mesa Police Explorers do synchronized pushups together before the start of the 13th annual Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk at Mason Park in Irvine on Saturday, April 8, 2017. Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk participants visit various booths at the Safety Expo in Mason Park in Irvine on Saturday morning, April 8, 2017. Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk 5K participants make their way along the edge of the lake in Irvine’s Mason Park during Saturday’s 13th annual event on April 8, 2017. Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Patricia Wenskunas, who founded Crime Survivors Inc. after surviving a vicious attack by an assailant in her home in 2002, thanks participants before the start of the organization’s 13th annual Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk at Irvine’s Mason Park on Saturday, April 8, 2017. Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Paul Wilson, wife of Christy Wilson, who was killed in 2011 at the Salon Meritage in Seal Beach during the largest mass murder in Orange County history, speaks about his struggle to get justice during the opening ceremony at the annual Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk and Safety Expo at Mason Park in Irvine on Saturday, April 8, 2017. Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Elizabeth Gray, who is the survivor of an attempted murder, has her daughters, Juliana and Kayla Gray, help her release a dove during the opening ceremony at the Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk and Safety Expo on Saturday, April 8 at Mason Park in Irvine. Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Members of the public join cadets from the Orange County Sheriff’s Academy, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Academy and local police academies, as they run together in the 13th annual Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk at Mason Park in Irvine on Saturday morning, April 8, 2017. Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Southern California Survive and Thrive Run/Walk participants visit various booths at the Safety Expo in Mason Park in Irvine on Saturday morning, April 8, 2017. Photo By Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer