Bob Stacey had something to say about firefighter cancer.

So he put it on a sign.

Then he put the sign on his back.

Then he walked 15 miles.

In January 2025, Stacey and a friend started at Lake San Marcos, passed through Carlsbad and finished in Encinitas. The walk took six hours.

That is a fairly committed way to avoid being scrolled past.

Now Country Montessori School names Stacey as a partner in its next Firefighters for Hope Cancer Walk.

The event is in Poway. Stacey is why the story belongs in Vista and San Marcos.

The Captain Behind the Sign

Stacey is a retired Vista fire captain and a prostate cancer survivor.

He spent the last 27 years of his fire service career working for Vista, according to his own account. After cancer treatment, he began sharing his experience with others.

He also became involved with the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.

The organization provides mentoring, guidance and education to firefighters, EMS providers and families dealing with cancer.

That is the formal description.

The human version is someone facing a diagnosis having another person to talk to who understands the fire service.

Stacey’s 15-mile walk made the issue visible across North County. The county supervisor’s office later recognized his advocacy.

Country Montessori School now identifies him as a partner for its 2027 fundraiser. His exact role on event day has not been announced.

So we know his name is part of the event.

We do not know whether he will be walking the route.

What’s Planned for January

The school calls the upcoming event its second annual Firefighters for Hope Cancer Walk.

It is scheduled for Friday, January 29, 2027, at Country Montessori School, 12642 Monte Vista Road in Poway.

Check-in opens at 9 a.m. The walk/run starts at 10 a.m. Organizers welcome families, walkers and runners.

The school’s registration form says 5K.

The event page describes a route that starts and finishes at the school and goes out and back along Pomerado Road.

Then the page develops a mileage problem.

Another section calls the walk a 10K. The form and main event details both say 5K, but participants should confirm the final distance with organizers.

The difference is bigger than a typo when you are wearing running shoes.

The Price Has a Second Line

Registration is $30 per person. Organizers say that covers an event shirt.

The school also asks each participant to make a separate donation to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.

The linked donation form asks for $30 but includes $25 among its suggested amounts. The published pages do not make a single minimum total clear.

The fundraiser supports the network’s work with firefighters and families facing cancer.

And the local thread is Stacey: 27 years working for Vista, a long awareness walk that began at Lake San Marcos and a named partnership in this next event.

A sign got people looking.

The question now is who shows up to walk.

Questions You May Have:

When is the walk?

Friday, January 29, 2027. Check-in opens at 9 a.m.; the start is at 10 a.m.

Where is it?

Country Montessori School, 12642 Monte Vista Road, Poway.

Is it a 5K or 10K?

The registration form says 5K, but the event page also says 10K. Confirm with organizers.

What does registration cost?

The event fee is $30 and covers a shirt. Organizers also request a separate donation.