R.M. Stoudt gives back with Running of the Pink
Mar. 30—Editor's note: This story and accompanying photo are advertorial content in the 2024 "Community Cheerleaders" special section of The Jamestown Sun. The special section features volunteers in the community.
JAMESTOWN — Running of the Pink is synonymous with R.M. Stoudt.
"I think it's just become who we are, right down to our (Stoudt dealership) license plates are pink," said Clint Boom, general manager of R.M. Stoudt. "... we try as much as we can to have the conversation with people. When a big burly man buys a diesel pickup with a pink license plate and says that he doesn't like the license plate — when he finds out what the license plate's pink for ... it's a special conversation and then he doesn't have a problem with the color of the plate."
R.M. Stoudt will host the Running of the Pink for the 17th year on June 8, Boom said. The event has raised more than $290,000 for women's health screenings since it began, according to
.
"We went from a really poor percentage of screenings (in Stutsman County) to a healthy percentage in the amount of time that we've been having the program," Boom said. "So we can see statistically that it's changed our community."
Running of the Pink is an in-person and virtual 5K walk/run and 10K run for all ages that raises money for local cervical and breast cancer awareness and breast cancer research, according to
.
"One of the most interesting parts is when someone does have a friend or a family member that's struggling, they'll get together in groups and they might have 25 people walking together or running together," Boom said. "And it's pretty special for those guys because they can't take away the cancer from their loved one, but they can prevent someone from getting too far in by not having proper screenings done at the hospital (JRMC)."
Boom said registration is usually around 1,000 people for Running of the Pink.
All money raised is given to Jamestown Regional Medical Center for Central Valley Health's Women's Way and JRMC No Excuses programs to reduce barriers to care for women, Boom said.
Boom notes R.M. Stoudt owner Casey Stoudt provides the Running of the Pink and matches a certain dollar amount in donations. He said the match has been "significant," noting last year's was at least $10,000.
Boom said the community also contributes, supplying equipment, routes and traffic control. Companies have donated items such as sports drinks and snacks for the participants, he said.
After the walk/runs, they celebrate and tell the stories of a few people who battled cancer and how that affects their families, Boom said. He said everyone has been touched by cancer, noting R.M. Stoudt lost an employee to the disease. Barb Gefroh, 53, died of terminal breast cancer in 2017, according to her obituary.
"We're a business here, but it's so much more than that," Boom said.
Running of the Pink is a way to connect with the people they do business with every day, he said.
