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Want free sandwiches for a year? Be one of the first 100 at Dickson City Primanti Bros. March 10

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Our Opinion: Pittston’s parade and ‘Leprechaun Loop’ supply excuse to get outside in early March

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212;As she watched her husband, Frank, push 6-year-old Jaxon on the swings at Kirby Park on a recent afternoon Erin Rebo-Pikul, of Wilkes-Barre, explained her family feels thankful &#8212; for Frank&#8217;s good health and for the time father and son can spend together.</p><p>&#8220;We have such a sense of gratitude,&#8221; she said. &#8220;The fear has subsided.&#8221;</p><p>She and Frank went through a troubling time six years ago when Frank, then 36, began a battle against kidney cancer. But he recently passed a &#8220;two year clear&#8221; scan, and Jaxon will tell you he keeps his dad busy playing basketball, baseball and hockey.</p><p>While Frank is the first to admit he&#8217;s not a runner, he does have one more sporting event on his schedule. On March 13, he will participate in The Renal Race 5, which his wife organized.</p><p>Wanting, needing to do something to fight kidney cancer, Erin started the race five years ago and since then has raised more than $100,000 for the cause. Most of the proceeds support the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, where Frank received treatment, with other donations going to The Center for Cancer Wellness, Candy&#8217;s Place, in Forty Fort and to individual families facing the disease.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s important for us to show Jaxon that you can do something,&#8221; Erin said. &#8220;You can help people.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s not about me,&#8221; Frank said.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s become so much more,&#8221; Erin agreed. &#8220;We&#8217;ve been able to create something amazing.&#8221;</p><p>So far this year, some 200 runners have registered for the race. Others will sign up on race day, said Erin, who expects about 500 people will attend &#8220;the huge after party&#8221; at Genetti&#8217;s that lasts from race time until Wilkes-Barre&#8217;s St. Patrick&#8217;s Day Parade starts at 2 p.m.</p><p>&#8220;People have been so generous,&#8221; said Erin, a hair stylist whose clients represent many different fields. Customers and their families have donated T-shirts, graphics services and other support to the Renal Race, as have various local businesses.</p><p>&#8220;Rodano&#8217;s donates pizza; Dunkin&#8217; Donuts donates coffee; Schiel&#8217;s donates bagels,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Even Jaxon&#8217;s school, Wilkes-Barre Academy, where students usually wear uniforms, has joined the effort with a &#8220;dress-down day&#8221; to support the race.</p><p>During his outing at Kirby Park, Jaxon pulled up his jacket to reveal a Renal Race T-shirt. He expected to wear that for &#8220;dress-down day,&#8221; too.</p><p>The 5K race begins at 10 a.m. March 13, on Wilkes-Barre&#8217;s Public Square; it heads over the Market Street Bridge to Kirby Park and returns to the Square. Walkers are welcome to participate in the 5K along with the runners, Erin said, but most walkers opt for the &#8220;fun mile&#8221; instead. Registration begins at 8 a.m. at Genetti&#8217;s and pre-registration can take place online at runsignup.com/renalrace5. The fee is $25.</p><p>Erin, who ran the New York City Marathon to raise money for the fight against renal cancer, participates in many races &#8212; but not this one, because she&#8217;s busy overseeing it.</p><p>Frank will tackle the slightly hilly course and, not being a regular runner, he admits it&#8217;s not the easiest thing.</p><p>But, &#8220;knowing the struggles other people are going through,&#8221; he said, &#8220;I can spend half an hour running.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Erin Rebo-Pikul and Frank Pikul, along with their 6-year-old son Jaxon, walk through Kirby Park, which will soon be the site of the Renal Race 5 that Erin has organized to fight kidney cancer. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_TTL030616renalrace.jpg</photo0><caption0>Erin Rebo-Pikul and Frank Pikul, along with their 6-year-old son Jaxon, walk through Kirby Park, which will soon be the site of the Renal Race 5 that Erin has organized to fight kidney cancer. </caption0><photoCredit0>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_TTL030616renalrace2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Frank Pikul pushes his son Jaxon, 6, on the swing at Kirby Park. Frank is grateful for his return to good health after a bout with kidney cancer. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_TTL030616renalrace2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Frank Pikul pushes his son Jaxon, 6, on the swing at Kirby Park. Frank is grateful for his return to good health after a bout with kidney cancer. </caption1><photoCredit1>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_TTL030616renalrace3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Jaxon Pikul, 6, of Wilkes-Barre, plays at the playground in Kirby Park. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_TTL030616renalrace3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Jaxon Pikul, 6, of Wilkes-Barre, plays at the playground in Kirby Park. </caption2><photoCredit2>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p><strong>By Mary Therese Biebel</strong></p><p>mbiebel@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mary Therese Biebel at 570-991-6109 or on Twitter @BiebelMT</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Renal Race 5, set for March 13 in Wilkes-Barre, will raise money for fight against kidney cancer