People all across the state of Iowa came together on August 26, 2018 to celebrate the life of 19-year old Mollie Tibbetts and her passion for running. To show support for Mollie and her family, runners throughout Iowa started a movement called #MilesforMollie. This movement encouraged people to run together and log how many miles they ran in honor of Mollie.
The Quad Cities community participated in their own run for Mollie, hosted by local running retail store, Fleet Feet. An estimated 250 people gathered at Veteran’s Memorial Park to show their support for Tibbetts. Prior to the run, Fleet Feet manager, Phil Young, took the stage and shared a few words with the crowd. Young spoke about the events that had occurred and why it was important to gather together and run. He then allowed the crowd a moment of silence and led them in prayer before setting off on the trail.
Fleet Feet staff members and volunteers set up a table before the run where people could both make donations and receive a personal safety device. This device, known as the Wearsafe tag, is a button that is easily attached to clothing for runners, walkers, or anyone out and about alone. It gives you the ability to contact multiple pre-selected emergency contacts, stream live audio, and share your GPS location in the push of a button.
Young, surprised after seeing how quickly the tags ran out, said, “What struck me was that people stayed in line to donate. People were lined up to give. That was unique just to see that many people upset about something, wanting to make a difference, and wanting to support that family.” On Sunday morning alone, they raised over $2,000, which supplied approximately 100 Wearsafe tags to members of the community. This was one of many special moments that stood out during this emotional event.
Pleasant Valley teacher and local runner, Maureen Dyer, had the opportunity to participate in the run that morning and experience these special moments. When recalling her thoughts as she was running, Dyer stated, “The organizers words were running through my head as we took off. It was really apparent that everyone was thinking about Mollie and her last run as they took off in the park that day.” Following up on that thought, Dyer thought it was touching to see everyone there to support a girl that they had never met.
People of all ages, genders, and fitness levels showed up to support. Young commented on the crowd saying, “I thought it was important to see that there were men out there too. It was pretty moving.” This run provided opportunities for everyone. You could run, walk, or even volunteer. Hopewell Elementary teacher, Allison Samuelson, volunteered at the local Miles for Mollie run. When describing her inspiration to volunteer, she mentioned, “When I saw the event on the Fleet Feet Davenport page I just knew I had to be there. I knew I needed to be involved in anyway I could.” Samuelson, a runner herself, felt it was necessary to come together as a community to send a message. She said, “You can’t take our love for running away; we will not give you that power.”
While the day was a very emotional one for all, it started the first steps towards healing. Dyer said it allowed people to come together to show their love and support for Mollie, those who loved her, and those who felt a personal connection to her story.
