Freeze For Food 5K 10K Walk Run Fundraiser

The Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Wisconsin - Madison are pleased to announce their 41st annual Freeze for Food 5K/10K walk/run.  We hope they will receive a friendly wave from the neighborhood area. . As in the past 7 years, all proceeds will go to Open Doors for Refugees.

Freeze For Food – 5K/10K Walk / Run Fundraiser

What:  Freeze For Food – 5K/10K Walk / Run Fundraiser

Where: Vilas Park Shelter, 1602 Tenney Park Dr., Madison WI 53715

When:  Saturday, March 5, 2022

            Race Day registration 11:00 am

5K race starts Noon: 10K race starts 1:00 pm     

Online registration:  signup.itsracetime.com through noon on March 5

Price:  Pre-registration for runners/walkers is $20 or both races for $30
($30 or $40 February 22 through March 5 at 12 pm) | Students $10

Benefit for:  Open Doors for Refugees

Contact: Kate Schachter, 608-440-0674, kateschachter@yahoo.com

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Why do runners race in freezing temperatures? Three hundred of them will brave the cold on Saturday, March 5 to demonstrate the warmth of Madison's welcome to refugees and immigrants. The 41st Annual Freeze for Food will again donate its 2022 proceeds to Open Doors for Refugees, an all-volunteer organization dedicated to supporting the resettlement of refugees in the Madison area and welcoming them to the community. All proceeds from Freeze for Food will be used for food security efforts.

On February 15, 2022 the last of the 12,600 Afghan newcomers who had been temporarily settled at Fort McCoy have joined new communities in Milwaukee, Green Bay, Appleton, Oshkosh, Wausau, Madison, and other locations across the US. Open Doors will be welcoming 159 individuals and family members to Madison, the largest increase in support since they began.

The Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) of Wisconsin-Madison sponsor the popular 5K walk/run and 10K run as part of nationally highlighted Peace Corps Week. Runs start at the Vilas Park shelter with a loop course through the Arboretum and adjoining neighborhoods. The 5K event attracts runners and walkers with broad range of athletic skills; children, strollers, and dogs are welcome. The 10K race attracts many serious racers.

The RPCVs absorb many of the expenses for this event with the proceeds of their International Calendar and rely on sponsors and donations to cover the gap. Since 1982, the Freeze for Food has raised over $112,600 for non-profit organizations that focus on food security.

When the race began, it was the only timed race for runners in the cold winter months. Today there are 5K/10K races in Madison every single month, year-round. 

Some runners may be hesitant to run in March because of the cold, but heat stress is rarely a problem at the Freeze for Food. Runners should dress appropriately for the weather. The race never cancels due to weather.