Even if you don’t live in the Ozarks, chances are that you heard about the Joplin tornado of 2011. It’s always sad to watch the news reports on tragedy but to witness the devastation is a whole different kind of heartbreak. Since we live within miles of Joplin, my husband, brother-in-law, and I volunteered for cleanup. There were blocks of hours that helpers were allowed to work and I only understood why after we began to help. I will never forget the first house that our group approached for duty. It was one thing to see trees down and debris all around but prescription bottles with names and addresses on them or the Christmas decorations neatly labeled and boxed that had been relocated from the attic to the back patio was disturbingly personal for eyes of a stranger to now know. Treasured toys, family heirlooms, wardrobes of crisp collared shirts and super-hero pajamas were spilled for miles. The emotional toll that it took to help could only be endured for a limited amount of time and was in no way close to what the residents had to deal with.
When the Joplin Memorial Run was formed to honor the 161 individuals who lost their lives and all who have helped recover from the EF-5 tornado that struck on May 22, 2011, I knew that I wanted to toe the line. While I have raced every year, I’m thrilled that this year Team Run Like The Wind will represent 88.3 The Wind for the 2017 event. Please join TRLTW and run for a reason at this fun and memorable race. Be listening to 88.3 The Wind for details in the weeks to come. There’s an opportunity to win a free entry if you watch the Team Run Like The Wind Facebook page, you can link over from 88.3TheWind.com and subscribe to the TRLTW Newsletter while you’re there! ~trvw
“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.” -Romans 5:3