Ultra racing community mourns loss of longtime volunteer, seeks donations

Carlotta Harrison volunteers at an Ultra Adventures race in Monument Valley, Utah, Feb. 25, 2017 | Photo courtesy of Matt Gunn, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — The Southern Utah ultrarunning community is morning the loss of a longtime race volunteer and friend who was killed in a car wreck May 26 while en route to volunteer at the Grand Canyon Ultras race put on by Ultra Adventures.

Carlotta Harrison sells handcrafted jewelry at an Ultra Adventures ultra race, Monument Valley, Utah, Feb. 25, 2017 | Photo courtesy of Matt Gunn, St. George News

Carlotta Harrison, her husband, Gary Harrison, and four of their grandchildren were struck by an alleged drunk driver on the morning of May 26 on U.S. Highway 160 near Tsegi, Arizona, according to a news report from the Navajo Times.

Carlotta Harrison, Gary Harrison and three of their grandchildren were killed. The fourth grandchild is recovering in a hospital in Flagstaff, Arizona, the report states.

The Harrisons were longtime members of the Ultra Adventures racing family, coming to every race to make Navajo Tacos for the runners and sell their jewelry.

“They took pride in and loved sharing their work and enjoyed educating people about their Navajo heritage,” said Matt Gunn of Ultra Adventures.

Ultra Adventures is a southwest-based ultrarunning company that provides sustainable ultra racing adventures and destination trail races focusing on the the Grand Circle region in the southwestern United States. Races are currently held in Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon area, Zion National Park area, Antelope Canyon area, the Bryce Canyon area and the Tushar Mountains.

Carlotta Harrison and her family have been involved as volunteers for several years.

Ultra Adventures employee Tana McTeer said:

Carlotta and her family were ever present at our events. Always cranking out delicious Navajo Tacos for hundreds of hungry runners and selling her beautiful handmade Navajo jewelry. She even provided finisher awards for our participants, beautiful handmade bracelets and arrows. Gary, Carlotta’s husband, was always at her side and often she brought her grandchildren to help. Carlotta and her family worked hard and as our events grew, she worked even harder. The ultra community watched the boys grow year after year. Carlotta had developed a large “ultra-family” that she stayed in contact with even when she wasn’t at our races. She was an integral part of our events and she will be greatly missed by so many of us.

A fundraising page has been set up to help the remainder of the family pay for funeral and medical expenses.

The family lives on the Utah side of the Utah/Arizona border near Monument Valley on the Navajo Nation, Gunn said.

The funds needed to be raised are not arbitrary, it is what the family needs, Gunn said, adding that they are very poor.

Anyone wishing to donate to the Harrison Family Memorial Fund can do so here. The funeral will take place Saturday at Monument Valley High School, 100 Cougar Lane, Oljato-Monument Valley.

Resources

Ed. note: When making charitable contributions it is advisable to consult with professionals for tax advice and investment risks.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

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