Organizers for the 14th annual Kimmswick 5K and 1-mile walk and fun run expect to have more than 800 people take part in the event.
It is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. Saturday, July 27, in front of the Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery, 6116 Second St.
Registration costs $35. A virtual option is also available. To register, go to raceroster.com.
Those who register online are guaranteed a T-shirt, but those who register the day of the race may not receive a T-shirt, depending on availability.
Last year, the 832 people participated in the event, said Jack Knope, development coordinator for the ALS Association, which organizes the event to raise money for research to find a cure for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
We always shoot for about 900, but if we can get between 820 and 850, I would call it a success,” Knope said.
Organizers hope to raise $25,000 for ALS research, according to the Kimmswick 5K registration website page at raceroster.com.
Knope said he expects to surpass the fundraising goal again this year after more than $25,000 was collected in 2023.
“I’m confident we will go above ($25,000),” he said. “We are at the same pace as last year, and I am hoping we can get there.”
The Blue Owl started sponsoring the event in honor of longtime customer Nancy Ratliff, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2008 and died in 2016 at age 67.
“They are wonderful,” Knope said. “They provide the venue, lunches and prizes. They help a lot with our stewardship. I think the fact they have supported us for so long helps us have credibility with the town of Kimmswick. I can’t imagine doing the 5K without their support.”
The run and walk will begin and end in front of the Blue Owl. The 5K course runs along the Mississippi River through the town, including around the Anheuser estate and Windsor Harbor Bridge (the oldest known wrought iron bridge in the state).
The top overall female and male runners and the top fundraising team each will receive a Levee High Apple Pie from the Blue Owl. The top three female and male finishers in each age group will receive a smaller pie.
The age groups are 14 and younger, 15 to 19, 20 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, 70 and older. All participants will receive a box lunch from the Blue Owl.
Hwy. K will close from 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. the day of the event.
Participants are asked to park at Windsor Intermediate School, 6208 Hwy. 61-67, in Imperial where shuttles will be available to take people to and from the start-finish area. There also will be limited parking available at Windsor Elementary School, 6003 Sixth St., in Kimmswick.
For more information about the event, email jack.knope@als.org or call 314-279-8780.