For more than 25 years, runners from around the region have put their feet to the pavement every August to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. To make the annual event a success, runners and volunteers raise money year-round through solicitations and special events, like the new Pickleball Tournament set for June 13 at the McDonough County YMCA.
“Love Pickle. Stop Cancer” round-robin competitive play tourney will begin at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, June 13, and the round-robin social play event starts at 11 a.m. To enter, players must register by May 24 (to guarantee an event t-shirt), and at the latest, by June 1 (no t-shirt). Registration fees are: $25, event only; $40, event and t-shirt; and $100, St. Jude Hero registration, which includes event entry, t-shirt, recognition at the event and a limited-edition St. Jude paddle bag.
To register, go to tinyurl. com/MacombSJPickle26.
For more information on the event, or to take part in the Macomb-to-Peoria run, contact St. Jude member Caleb Markey at calebmarkey@ live.com or visit facebook.com/StJudeMacombRun for the most up-to-date information.
Since the Macomb-to-Peoria run was founded in 2001, the Macomb group has run from McDonough County to Peoria, home of the St. Jude Midwest Affiliate to raise money and awareness for St. Jude.
Over the years, the group has raised over $1.9 million for St. Jude families. This year, the run will take place Aug. 1. Runners of all levels - from beginner/now-andagain runners to diehard marathoners - are welcome to participate. The run is relay-style, with groups alternating at various stops along the 70-mile route.
Those who might not be able to run the whole route can hop into the van at any point.
Over the years, St. Jude has saved lives of patients, and supported several families, from McDonough County, including Markey, and former Macomb resident Wesley Moore. Nearly 9,000 children from across the U.S. are treated each year at St. Jude. The children’s hospital was founded in the 1960s, when the survival rate for Acute Lymphatic Leukemia (ALL), the most common form of childhood cancer, was four percent. Today, the survival rate is 94 percent.
On the Aug. 1 race day, runners will meet at the Courthouse Square at 3 a.m. to begin their 70-mile trek to Peoria, which is divided into two-to-three miles legs. Twelve hours later, the runners arrive in Peoria for the runners’ parade into the Peoria Civic Center, which begins around 4 p.m.
For more info or to sign up for the Macomb St. Jude run, visit stjuderuns.org/ macomb. For more information on St. Jude, visit stjude.org.
