A good Run

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A runner leaps into the snow Saturday in the 33rd annual Runnin O' the Green in Jamestown. The event raises money for a local charity and area cancer patients with a race from bar to bar each spring through Jamestown.
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A man rides an inflatable sled downhill Saturday in the 33rd annual Runnin O' the Green in Jamestown. More photos A6
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A runner falls during the downhill trek at the start of the Run Saturday.
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A person dressed as “Gumby” shuffles down the hill at the start of the Run on Saturday.

Talk about it

Like clockwork every year following The Runnin O’ the Green, event founder Larry Knoblich walks the course and picks up after runners, filling bags with trash. It’s also like clockwork that each year sees more and more participants.

That was the case this year as the Run in Jamestown grew with more registrations and donations, Knoblich said.

The amount raised was $27,408 and that in part was due to the 2,020 people who registered for the Saturday event.

“That is by far and away our best numbers ever,” Knoblich said.

Still, Knoblich estimates close to 4,000 people participated in the Run, so about half registered.

But an additional $6,000 was donated along with the amount raised through registration.

One car dealership and two bars pitched in a total of $2,600. Additional funds came from people paying more than the $10 registration fee.

Knoblich said two people who registered Friday night at Shady’s each paid with a $150 check.

“That sort of thing is gratifying,” he said. “I’m looking forward to being able to contribute to Camp Grassick, the cancer patients and James Vollmer, the athlete at the college.”

Vollmer became paralyzed after a pole vaulting accident and was added to Knoblich’s list of people to help this year.

One bar owner believes at the peak of the run —about 5:30 p.m. — close to 1,000 were inside and in the outside fenced-off area for his bar.

“It was very busy,” said Sheldon Oviatt, owner of the Corner Bar.

Oviatt had 14 employees working for the bar’s first year in the Run.

“It went a lot smoother than expected because it was our first year and we weren’t sure of the traffic,” Oviatt said.

Big crowds led to one of the most profitable days for his staff of bartenders.

“They were all really pleased,” he said of his employees. “This was the best time they ever had, that was the feedback I was getting last night.”

The Corner Bar was cleaned early Sunday morning and the last employees left around 6 a.m.

“It’s a lot of extra work for those people,” Knoblich said of the service industry.

Police were also busy too. But exact numbers won’t be released until today.

“The guys worked all night and were taking calls until they left,” said Lt. Bruce Judd of the Jamestown Police Department.

He said the majority of calls were for offenses like public consumption or disturbances.

“I think they were busy all night,” Judd said.

But after all the work by everyone from the volunteers to law enforcement the event boils down to charity and helping people in need.

Knoblich was more than pleased with the more than $27,000 raised.

“Every cent of that is going to charity,” he said.

Sun reporter Ben Rodgers can be reached at 701-952-8455 or by e-mail at brodgers@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, runnin o the green, news