SPRINGFIELD—ST. JUDE RUN

Saturday, August 7, 2010

First—a little history.  The St. Jude Memphis to Peoria Run was the idea of Run Co-founders Mike McCoy and Gene Pratt.  The relay-style ran began as a way to raise money for their favorite charity, St. Jude.  The concept of driving to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis and then running back, relay-style, to the St. Jude Midwest Affiliate in Peoria, has come to be one of the foremost charity running events in the nation. Each year since 1982, runners have paid for the honor to participate in this unique, 465-mile event that has raised over $13.6 million for St. Jude kids.

Because not everyone can participate in the more rigorous Memphis to Peoria Run, auxiliary runs were started from communities throughout Illinois.   Employees, doctors, and nurses from the St. Jude Hospital in Memphis also participate in this event along with runners from Chicago, Macomb, Bloomington/Normal, Decatur, LaSalle/Peru, Springfield, Lincoln, Champaign/Urbana, Galesburg, Canton, Quad Cities, Elmwood, Macomb, Pekin, Quincy, Richwoods High School, St. Louis and the Tri-County.  Each of these cities send runners to Peoria to meet the Memphis to Peoria Runners and help kick off the St. Jude Telethon held in Peoria, Illinois, each year in August.  Participants don't have to be great runners, and there is a rule that no member of the group can run faster than the slowest member.

 

Springfield will have it’s own contingent of runners again this year.  If you would like to participate in the Springfield to Peoria Run, simply contact us.  You will be supplied with all the information you need. 

 

2009 Springfield to Peoria Runners

 

You may not be a runner, but you could drive one of the many vehicles need to help the runners.  So many behind the scenes volunteers are needed to help make the Springfield St. Jude Run a success.  Runners from many law enforcement agencies including the Springfield Police Department, Sangamon County Sheriff's Office and the Illinois State Police are participating this year and they will need your help.

Please contact Springfield Area Run Coordinator, Dave Wesselman, at djhowdy@sbcglobal.net.  Please include your name, address, age, and how you would like to help.  You will be contacted with information to make the Springfield St. Jude Run a success!

Click on the links to the left or check out the Calendar of Events and get all the information you need to get involved with St. Jude Children's Hospital and ways you can participate and "Help Save the Life of a Child." 

The Reason

The Run

 

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