Coming up on Friday, July 17 in Dowagiac is Southwestern Michigan College’s annual Steve’s Run.
The event, now in its 52nd year, is expected to attract hundreds of participants who will take part in their choice of a 5K, a 10K, or a Family Fun Run.
SMC Manager of Development Emily Schrock tells us Steve’s Run is a tradition in the community that was renamed in honor of SMC graduate Steven Briegel in 1992, two years after his death.
“College President David Briegel’s son passed away in 1990 after his five and a half year fight with cancer,” Schrock said. “[Race founder and SMC running coach] Ron Gunn decided to name the race in honor of him, and so now we have the race, what is known as Steve’s Run.”
To this day, Schrock says SMC still honors Steve’s memory by raising money for cancer research with the run. The route for Steve’s Run goes all over Dowagiac, and is extended into the SMC trails for those who take the 10K option. She says people keep coming out for the event because of the sense of community it gives them and because they can honor loved ones.
“It’s something that people can come together and support one another as well as supporting cancer research because all proceeds go to cancer research as well as a scholarship here.”
Since 2012, the run has raised more than $300,000 for cancer research and scholarships, and Schrock says around 200 to 350 people typically take part. She notes the race this year is being held on the eve of the Dowagiac Summer Festival, which runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 18 with live music, food vendors, artisan booths, a beer garden, a kids waterpark, and sidewalk sales.
Everyone’s invited to take part in Steve’s Run and then make a whole weekend of fun out of it in Dowagiac.
