Almost six years after Toby Candilora died from ALS, friends, family and supporters gathered on Saturday to honor his memory and raise money at the first ever 10-07 Charitable Fund 5K Walk/Run.
“We thought it was time to give back to our community and get his daughters involved,” said Robyn Jones, Candilora’s mother and the head of the 10-07 Charitable Fund. “(His daughters) live in Vancouver, Washington, so we are hoping to make this an annual event where they can come and celebrate their father’s life.”
The 10-07 Charitable Fund donated the money raised from the event to the ALS Association and the Weber State Law Enforcement Academy, where Candilora graduated before starting a 15-year career in law enforcement.
“Robyn contacted us and said she wanted to do something to somehow help a future cadet attend the academy,” said Academy Director Jack Rickards. “We have never offered a scholarship before.”
The fund’s name carries a double-meaning for those who knew Candilora—10-07 is a code used by police to signal when they are signing off and Candilora died on Oct. 7, or 10/7. According to the fund’s website, his death on Oct. 7, “felt like a call to ensure those of us still on duty continued his work.”
Among those who organized the event and volunteered were cadets from the WSU Law Enforcement Academy, who helped direct traffic. Students from Weber State also came out to support the cause, including Mikey Burson, a friend of Jones, who was diagnosed with ALS in July 2014.
“ALS is a motor nerve disease. Most nerves die, leaving only a few to take over. It causes your muscles to fail,” said Burson, who is studying art at WSU. “I think [the fundraiser] is good. ALS needs a lot of help and more research.”
Jones hopes to make this run an annual event to continue to help raise money and to continue to remember Candilora’s life and his passion for law enforecment.
“The funds raised today will go to support ALS research, but truly, our main focus right now is the Law Enforcement Academy at Weber State,” said Jones. “My son was educated at Weber State. He was very passionate about law enforcement, and we thought this would be a great way to honor him.”
