SOLON — Abundant sunshine, temperatures in the low 80s, and high humidity greeted runners and walkers Saturday, August 6 as they gathered at the Solon Recreation and Nature Area (SRNA) to compete, have fun, and raise money for a worthy cause during the annual “Be a Hunger Hero 5k and 1-mile fun run/walk.
Co-organizers Theresa Bonnema, Sarah Olsem, and June Maiers teamed up for the event, a fundraiser for Mary’s Meals, which is an international organization with a mission to provide daily meals in educational settings for kids in need.
“By providing a meal at a place of education, Mary’s Meals both encourages the education that will ultimately lead communities out of poverty, and also provides the life-saving meals that these children need,” Theresa said. While the United States has the free and reduced cost school meal program, and other social safety nets, many other nations have no such programs, she pointed out. “Some of these kids will walk miles to get to school, and that might be the only meal they receive. But the schools that have Mary’s Meals are places that are full of life, and energy, and hope.”
For every school that has received Mary’s Meals, Theresa says they see an increase in attendance and performance. The organization is currently feeding over 2 million children in 20 different countries and
partners with local farmers and volunteers (in the host countries) to prepare and serve the meals. Remarkably, she said, “Mary’s Meals does it all for just $21 per child, per year, which is something I don’t think we can even fathom, as Americans. I can spend $21 on one meal, so it’s just an incredible charity that brings together people from all walks of life, and all faith backgrounds. The real belief amongst Mary’s Meals is that if everyone who has enough gives to those who don’t, then we could end the problem of global hunger.”
Solonites have been banding together in this quest for at least seven years, starting with the community raising funds to set up a new kitchen and school meal program in a city in Malawi, Africa. “The Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, the Women’s Club…everyone, for about a year-long effort to raise a large amount of money to make sure we had enough. Most schools (in these countries) don’t even have a kitchen until Mary’s Meals arrives.” It was also the birth of the annual 5k run and 1-mile fun run/walk.
“We wanted a way to raise more money than to just write a check out of our own bank accounts and came up with this run. We had so much fun with it we’ve been doing it ever since, and every year we’ve fed a couple hundred more kids, so we’re pretty excited about it.”
In addition to the race, the sixth (2020’s race was wiped out by the pandemic) since 2015, a concert with contemporary Christian singer/songwriter Steve Angrisano was held at St. Mary’s the night before.
“This is his second year of doing a summer concert series. He learned about Mary’s Meals a couple of years ago and was also compelled to find another way to do more. In his words, he commented he’s a big baseball fan and he realized for the cost of a baseball ticket, he could feed a couple kids. So, if he’d just go to a few less baseball games per year, he could feed four kids. So, when you really think of it in that frame of reference, how do you not feel compelled to do more?”
For more information on Mary’s Meals go to www.marysmeals.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/marysmeals.
“I just want to say thank you to the community for the support that they’ve given over the years, and I really do hope people take a moment to look up Mary’s Meals and see all the good work that they’re doing,”
Hunger Hero 5k results, as provided by B&W Racing Services
Overall Male – 1, Jake Miller (Des Moines), 20:26.18. 2, John Pape (Cedar Rapids), 20:43.16. 3, Grant Bumsted (Solon), 20:46.03. 4, Collin Bumsted (Solon), 20:50.49. 5, Ryan Olsem (Solon), 21:07.63. 6, Tate Stolley (Swisher), 22:26.86. 7, George Ward (Marion), 22:53.07. 8, Keith Duster (Solon), 24:11.70. 9, Alex Trannel (Solon), 27:00.10. 10, Tom Wolfe (Cedar Rapids), 27:13.09. 11, Tad Stolley (Swisher), 27:20.29. 12, Michael Riddle (Kalona), 27:58.13. 13, Jay Johnson (Solon), 28:15.49. 14, Jay Ripslinger (Davenport), 34:21.84
Overall Female — 1, Erin Imoehl (Cedar Rapids), 21:16.16. 2, Stacy Croy (Solon), 22:16.83. 3, Deb Gaddis (Solon), 24:24.64. 4, Emma Olsem (Solon), 25:49.16. 5, Steph Kaefring (Solon), 26:06.68. 6, Katie Stolley (Swisher), 28:44.90. 7, Anne Johnson (Solon), 29:36.79. 8, Brogan Messer (Cedar Rapids), 34:35.04. 9, Mary Stietz (S. St. Paul, MN), 42:46.79. 10, Patty Erusha (Solon), 52:01.51
Male 18U — 1, G. Bumsted. 2, C. Bumsted. 3, T. Stolley
Female 18U — E. Olsem
Male 19-35 — 1, J. Miller. 2, J. Pape
Female 19-35 — 1, E. Imoehl. 2, S. Kaefring. 3, B. Messer
Male 36-50 — 1, R. Olsem. 2, G. Ward. 3, K. Duster. 4, A. Trannel. 5, T. Stolley
Female 36-50 — 1, S. Croy. 2, K. Stolley. 3, A. Johnson
Male 51+ — 1, T. Wolfe. 2, M. Riddle. 3, J. Johnson. 4, J. Ripslinger
Female 51+ — 1, D. Gaddis. 2, M. Stietz. 3, P. Erusha
Jake Miller, from Des Moines, was the overall winner of the Be a Hunger Hero 5k race.