Photo by Lexi Coon.
Although the races for the Red Shoe Run were canceled due to weather Jan. 21, 2017, participants and teams still had a good time celebrating the Ronald McDonal House.
The Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham will host its 14th annual Red Shoe Run on Jan. 27. This year’s event will feature a 10-mile run, a 5K, a 1-mile fun run and a flexible Red Shoe “snoozer” run.
But, Stephanie Langford, director of marketing and communications for Ronald McDonald House, said the event is “more than just a run.”
“It’s more of a celebration,” she said.
The Ronald McDonald House provides lodging to families while their children receive cancer treatments. Langford said it costs about $95 per night for the Ronald McDonald House to house a family, and the organization can have as many as 14 families on a waiting list for a room at any given time. However, the Ronald McDonald House is trying to change that.
“We are opening an expansion in January,” Langford said. “We are expanding from 41 rooms to 70 rooms to house more families.”
Proceeds of the run, which starts at Rosewood Hall in downtown Homewood, will directly benefit the charity. Event participants will also have an opportunity to hear stories from former Ronald McDonald House residents about their experience in the house.
Katie Hannah, special events coordinator for Ronald McDonald House Charities, said around 900 people historically participate in the event in teams.
“Last year we had about 50 teams,” Hannah said. “This year we are starting to see some of those teams combine, because they can raise more money and have more of an impact that way. It gives opponents an opportunity to come together and gives them something to get behind.”
Hannah said she hopes that more people will participate in the event this year, even if they chose not to participate as runners.
“We need cheerleaders,” she said. “Everybody needs a cheerleader at the finish line.”
Pricing ranges from $20 for the 1-mile and snoozer run to $35 for the 5K and $55 for the 10-mile run, with optional chip timing for $5 and a price increase for registering on race day. To learn more about the event or to register for the Red Shoe Run, visit rmhca.org.