Runners bring it all, including their hearts

They arrived with turkey hats and running shoes.

And of course there was the standard fare of warm clothing necessary for any snowy South Dakota winter day: puffy coats, scarves, ear warmers, knit hats, gloves. At least one person brought a bright blue umbrella to hold off the snow.

Cameron Jump, 18, wore a red and green-knit sweater and snapped a photo of the wintry blue morning.

“I hardly ever see snow,” said the Edmond, Okla., resident.

The snow started early Thursday for the 11th annual Run for Food fundraiser to support the Banquet, and it continued to drop as runners lined up on Indiana Avenue for the starting signal.

Marvella Shatter, food service director for the Banquet, brought her golden retriever. A natural with the crowd, Murphy made the rounds with runners as folks squeezed into the Banquet’s warm and welcoming cafeteria. Shatter isn’t sure of his exact age. But she was sure that the social pooch was milking one of the rare opportunities he has to be out where people in the Banquet usually gather to eat.

“He’s definitely a people dog,” Shatter said as Murphy sprawled across the floor, enjoying a belly pat from a friendly stranger.

The run is more about showing up than anything. Even the 8 a.m. start time isn’t exact. Some started running before 7:30 a.m. And even the official “on your marks” wasn’t sounded until 8:05. Depending on the person, the run is a once-in-life-time experience, a family tradition, a fun way to start the holiday, or calorie burn before the inevitable turkey binge.

“There’s no frills, there’s no start, there’s no time,” said Jeff Schmitt, who comes every year after founding the event. “You have a course, but I don’t care if people run that course.”

Daren Miller brought his family, including his two kids and his sister from Moorhead, Minn. They’ve come every year for the last four or five years.

“It’s just been a tradition,” Miller said. “A great way to start the morning.”

For his sister, Dori Leslie, the run through downtown Sioux Falls and Falls Park is a chance to enjoy the scenery.

“I think Sioux Falls is beautiful,” Leslie said.

Almost everyone who comes brings a donation. Theresa Jackson stood near the Banquet’s entrance as runners dropped checks and cash into her wicker basket.

This year, there were between 350 and 400 participants, compared to about 300 last year. They donated a total of $11,000. Last year's fundraising total was about $7,920.

And then most bring something else, too.

“Everybody comes in with a smile,” Jackson said.