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Read the press release here.

5K Race for Fallen Staten Island Soldier to Raise Money for Veteran Fund

By Nicholas Rizzi | June 4, 2017 5:17pm
 Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis, 24, of Staten Island, was killed on Aug. 28, 2013, in Ghanzi Province, Afghanistan.
Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis, 24, of Staten Island, was killed on Aug. 28, 2013, in Ghanzi Province, Afghanistan.
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U.S. Army

NEW DORP — The first annual 5K dedicated to a fallen heroic Staten Island soldier will be held around the Staten Island Railway this weekend.

The Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis 5K will be the first major fundraising event hosted by a foundation started by his family in his name to raise money for various veterans' causes.

"Our son Michael gave his life for his country, and the foundation we set up in his honor is dedicated to one purpose: to support his fellow veterans and their families," his parents, Robert and Linda Ollis, said in a statement announcing the race.

Ollis, 24, an infantryman, was killed on Aug. 28, 2013 during an assault on a base in Ghanzi. During the attack, he stepped in front of a wounded Polish soldier and shielded him from a suicide bomber.

The lifelong New Dorp resident was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Silver Star, the Audie Murphy Medallion and the Polish Medal of Honor, the country's highest military award.

Last year, Mayor Bill de Blasio named the first of three new ferries heading to Staten Island after Ollis and the DOT later named the new batch of ships the "Ollis Class."

"We hope that this race will allow us as a community to memorialize Michael’s sacrifice, show our appreciation for all our service members, and raise funds to help those who have served."

The foundation previously held smaller fundraisers, including soccer games, and partnered with the New York Mets last year to raise money from ticket sales at one game.

Aside from donating proceeds to veteran's groups, the foundation also gives to local causes like donating coloring books to schools in the borough.

Their first 5K will kick off at 8 a.m. June 11 and will end with a street festival on New Dorp Lane with live music, food, vendors and more, according to organizers.

The race will start at South Railroad and Beach avenues and continue next to the Staten Island Railway until Jefferson Avenue and loop around. The street festival will be held on New Dorp Lane, between New Dorp Plaza and 10th Street, from 10 a.m. to noon, according organizers.

Tickets to run in the race are $35.