Skip to main content

Help us raise money

For participating in Forrest Spence 5K

Donate now

Our story…

I feel compelled to explain myself. Not to you, moreso that I can understand this compulsion and maybe explain it to my wife. I have found myself running often since Ruthie died. I’d wager most reading this are runners, and statistically some have been devastated as we have. I’ve found a place when running, maybe triggered by a butterfly that flitters beside me for a time as I run, or when the rain is soft and there is no lightning and all you hear is the rain in the tree canopy, that the grief and tears flow and there is no discomfort as I quicken my pace. It has assisted me with the processing of this ache of loss, and connected it to the source of my grief: my love for Ruthie. I’ve come to realize that this exquisite grief demands action. And faith. There must be some goodness that exists because of the intensity of the sorrow. There must exist its counterpart. I’m happy to discuss how this is so with regards to my faith, but this is about action. I suspect The Forrest Spence Fund was created experiencing similar complexity of emotion from parents experiencing loss. They have helped many with the overlooked complexities of health care and social determinants of health. Gas money to get to and from the hospital, utility bills, medical bills… the list goes on. In Ruthie’s memory, I would like to help them do more of the same. Feel free to join team Running4Ruthie at the following link: http://raceroster.com/events/2025/105629/forrest-spence-5k/register?team=838980


And to donate to the team fundraising at this link: http://raceroster.com/events/2025/105629/forrest-spence-5k/pledge/team/838980

Achievements

Team members

Click on one of our team members below to make a donation.

Recent donors

Donation date Donor name Donation amount
Jul 28 Bryan Baddorf $107.35
Jul 23 Clare Brown Undisclosed amount
Jul 22 Maymay and Papa Have fun! $54.10
Jul 22 Alice Tiemann Good luck in your first race, James! $54.10
Jul 22 Wes and Marcy Mayes $267.10
Jul 22 Susan & Mickey Thompson $533.35
Jul 21 Kyle & Amy Runner Undisclosed amount
Jul 21 David Coombs $533.35
Jul 20 Michael Flanagan Happy to help. $27.48
Jul 20 Chris and Jordan Ohlsson $107.35