Chillicothe St. Jude Runs
Sep 01, 2022 02:10PM ● By Rick Lingenfelter
TThe Chillicothe St. Jude Runs team took to the road bright and early on Saturday August 6th for the 18th year. Sending the team off from IVC High School at 6:30am was ALSAC Area Executive Director, and fellow Chillicothean, Julie Witte. The 2022 team consisted of 62 participants (fundraisers), with 52 of them lacing up and putting in some miles on our 55.6 mile course through Chillicothe and areas within the IVC school district ultimately finishing at the Peoria Civic Center and the St Jude Telethon stage. The oppressively hot and humid day made things tough on all involved, but through it all smiles and laughter were seen and heard as the team delivered nearly a half of a million dollars to the cause of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The Chillicothe team began in 2005. Founded by Jeff and Lori Wallin and Tara Kilmar, the team started humbly with 11 runners raising $11,000. The Run team and partner Brad Wallin Memorial Tournament grew nicely during the first few years in both size and money raised. By 2012, things had really started rolling. Jeff Wallin handed over the reins of the Run to original members, Rick and Pam Lingenfelter, and a serious group of fundraisers to focus on the growth of the tournament. And the growth has been amazing. Since 2005, the Chillicothe St Jude Runs (including their great can shaking crew) and BWMT have raised a combined $4,600,000, nearly $3,900,000 coming since 2012. In 2022 the BWMT brought in $215,000 raising their historical number to over $1,400,000! The runners added $265,000 bringing their total to over $3,200,000.
To understand how running relates to raising money for St. Jude kids and their families, we can turn the clock back to 1981. Former Peoria
County Sheriff, Mike McCoy, had an idea to seek pledges from the community for a group of runners to run from the St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, TN to Peoria. That is a 465 mile route. The runners ran in a relay fashion and the event has existed ever since accumulating over $75,000,000 to date.
Eventually, a decision was made to increase the number of participants and satellite teams were created, with Chillicothe being one of those since 2005. Currently, Chillicothe runners who participate must raise at least $1,250. But there are serious fundraisers in our midst. Chelsea Duke, a St. Jude nurse, and her husband Jamie raised over $27,000 this year as a couple. St. Jude father, Levi Holloway, raised nearly $25,000. Cari Horack and her daughters, Madi and Hannah, over $21,000. Just incredible efforts.
In post-Covid 2022, things look different. Much more digital fundraising happens, requiring fresh ideas and skills. Hannah Dutton has stepped up to co-direct the run, enlisting peers who work 12 months a year to raise money for the cause in new ways.
The Chillicothe team began in 2005. Founded by Jeff and Lori Wallin and Tara Kilmar, the team started humbly with 11 runners raising $11,000. The Run team and partner Brad Wallin Memorial Tournament grew nicely during the first few years in both size and money raised. By 2012, things had really started rolling. Jeff Wallin handed over the reins of the Run to original members, Rick and Pam Lingenfelter, and a serious group of fundraisers to focus on the growth of the tournament. And the growth has been amazing. Since 2005, the Chillicothe St Jude Runs (including their great can shaking crew) and BWMT have raised a combined $4,600,000, nearly $3,900,000 coming since 2012. In 2022 the BWMT brought in $215,000 raising their historical number to over $1,400,000! The runners added $265,000 bringing their total to over $3,200,000.
To understand how running relates to raising money for St. Jude kids and their families, we can turn the clock back to 1981. Former Peoria
County Sheriff, Mike McCoy, had an idea to seek pledges from the community for a group of runners to run from the St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, TN to Peoria. That is a 465 mile route. The runners ran in a relay fashion and the event has existed ever since accumulating over $75,000,000 to date.
Eventually, a decision was made to increase the number of participants and satellite teams were created, with Chillicothe being one of those since 2005. Currently, Chillicothe runners who participate must raise at least $1,250. But there are serious fundraisers in our midst. Chelsea Duke, a St. Jude nurse, and her husband Jamie raised over $27,000 this year as a couple. St. Jude father, Levi Holloway, raised nearly $25,000. Cari Horack and her daughters, Madi and Hannah, over $21,000. Just incredible efforts.
In post-Covid 2022, things look different. Much more digital fundraising happens, requiring fresh ideas and skills. Hannah Dutton has stepped up to co-direct the run, enlisting peers who work 12 months a year to raise money for the cause in new ways.
The efforts of these motivated folks, current and previous alike, have helped make Chillicothe a place known for its willingness to help and serve others. The generosity of the Chillicothe community is unmatched and a great reputation has been earned. Thank you to all who have raised money, donated, volunteered time at a ball field, attended an auction, cheered runners or baseball players, and encouraged us all on this quest to remember and honor the dozen or so Chillicothe kids and their families who have gone through the cancer battle since we began our effort. Special thanks go out to some extra effort folks (some, not all, too many to list), Tony Moore (Chillicothe St. Jude Runs treasurer), Jan Blank, Jalynn and Nathan Rohlf, Lisa and Dave Motter, Dahla and Chad Conklin, Cam Conklin, Stephanie Cole, Sgt. Bobby Purcell and the Chillicothe PD, the Chillicothe Fire Department, Dr. Denise Amundsen, Greg Kircher (GST Productions), Nick Hedden (Rescue 33), all of the BWMT volunteers, IVC High School, the folks at Chillicothe Community Bank and Mike and Carol Denzer (Jon Denzer Bear Hug Foundation).
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