Fifth Annual PLEA Charities Superhero 5K Raises Money for Kids in Need
With the fifth annual PLEA Charities Superhero 5K being Hulk-themed, actors from Put on the Cape (POTC): A Foundation for Hope portrayed the Hulk and She-Hulk, as well as Superman, Batman, Supergirl, Gamora, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Captain Marvel and many others for this sold-out event that raised nearly $6,000 for the Southwest Family Advocacy Center (SWFAC).
Created by Phoenix Police Officer Sean Reavie, POTC started in 2019 with the goal of raising awareness and donations for victimized children with a series of superhero-themed events benefiting family and child advocacy centers across the Valley and his home state of Michigan.
With PLEA Charities sponsoring the first annual Superhero 5K, Reavie adopted the SWFAC so it could receive proceeds. Since 2019, Reavie’s foundation has donated more than $60,000 to SWFAC, with $28,000 alone coming from the annual 5K event.
“I have to thank PLEA Charities and their involvement over the last five years,” Reavie says. “They supported me from my first event and changed the lives of thousands of abused children in the process.”
PLEA Secretary John Maxwell and President Darrell Kriplean helped set up a tent next to POTC registration and handed out water, medals and T-shirts to participants. This race included a grandmother running with her 10 grandkids, couples pushing their babies in strollers, toddlers decked out as baby versions of superheroes, a fully uniformed MSCO deputy, an entire class of Avondale Police Department cadets and even family pets gleefully taking part.
The event, held during the Avondale KidFest, was supported by the Avondale, Buckeye and Goodyear police departments, UPS and Honor Health, which signed up dozens of runners in the competition for the Champions Cup, an award Reavie created to encourage friendly competition and bragging rights.
“Buckeye P.D. unseated Avondale P.D. as the winner this year,” Reavie says. “We sold out Wednesday before the event and still had an additional 48 runners sign up who just wanted to help.”
The support of PLEA Charities has meant a great deal to Reavie, who notes that POTC has won numerous national awards for philanthropy and has donated approximately $500,000 to multiple family advocacy centers in the Valley, supporting more than 10,000 child victims of abuse.
“PLEA Charities was the first to donate money to my cause in 2015 when I just did a small donation drive called Superhero September,” Reavie says. “Now, we hold events year-round across Arizona and Michigan.”
PLEA Charities was there at the beginning, presenting him with a donation of $1,500.
“They never missed a chance to support me,” Reavie says. “Come September, PLEA is sponsoring the ninth annual Superhero Shopping Spree, my legacy event. I cannot thank them enough for the support financially and for me personally over the years.”
“It takes a village to heal a victim,” SWFAC director Reem Constantine says. “Sean Reavie and PLEA Charities, as well as their passionate team, put words into action every day. They built a community of support that inspires children and adults alike to spring into action and give generously their time and hearts for a survivor of abuse in need.”
Reavie, who is currently working as a school resource officer at Greenway Middle School, adds that some major announcements are coming in the next few months involving new events and more impact through his charity.
“Success, to me, means other people are better off because of something you did,” Reavie says. “The team at PLEA Charities has helped me reach so many victims of abuse, and we will continue to do great things together.”
Follow POTC on Facebook (facebook.com/Putonthecape) or visit its website at putonthecape.org.