MILWAUKEE — WTMJ has learned the nearly half-century run of the annual ‘Briggs & Al’s Run’ fundraiser for Children’s Wisconsin is not coming back as we know it. Children’s is promising, but still working out the details for, a reimagined event in 2025.
Launched in 1978 by Marquette University’s Al McGuire, Al’s run raised more than 20 million dollars over the years. Even prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic rising costs and declining participation created increasing challenges for the downtown run/walk. With a title sponsorship from Briggs & Stratton, Briggs and Al’s Run was last staged in 2022.
The Children’s Wisconsin Foundation today is breaking the news to past participants that it will no longer put on a run/walk style event. “After a year of listening to ideas from many stakeholders and beginning our planning, we are looking forward to a brand new event Saturday, September 13, 2025,” the letter from Foundation President Meg Brzyski Nelson said.
Children’s does not know yet, what that 2025 event will be. The letter from Brzyski Nelson said, “We are going to take the rest of 2024 to finalize details that are needed to create a brand new event.”
You can read the official message from Meg Brzyski Nelson, President of the Children’s Wisconsin Foundation, below:
Dear Al’s Run & Walk team captains,
We are excited to share an update on our progress to evolve Al’s Run & Walk in a way that continues to celebrate our kids and caregivers.
After a year of listening to ideas from many stakeholders and beginning our planning, we are looking forward to a brand new event on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. Mark your calendars and make new memories with us next year!
Working with past participants, sponsors, patient families and caregivers, we have heard enthusiasm to evolve and change the event, balanced with a desire to maintain what made Al’s Run & Walk so special:
- An event that honors the bravest of kids and recognizes our incredible care teams.
- A chance for the community to rally together to support the kids we care for.
- An opportunity for patient families, businesses, community groups and others to form teams.
- A uniquely Children’s experience that provides a memorable way to fundraise.
We are going to take the rest of 2024 to finalize details that are needed to create a brand new event.
In the meantime, many of you have shared a desire to continue to support kids by fundraising for Children’s Wisconsin. A few opportunities to stay involved this year include:
- Create a team and fundraise to support the 26th annual WKLH Miracle Marathon presented by Mars Family Foundation. Form a team online and celebrate your group’s success May 16 and 17 when families and providers share their inspiring stories on the radio.
- Start or support a community fundraiser.
- Support a team or local high school football player in the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-Star Charity Football Games. More than 200 players fundraise for Children’s Wisconsin before the games on July 19 and 20, offering another fun and exciting time for your family and team to gather.
- Choose your favorite game and fundraise through Extra Life.
- Support the many fundraisers put on by Wisconsin businesses that benefit Children’s Wisconsin.
- Make a donation now to help us care for kids.
Thank you for all you have done to support the kids of Wisconsin. I hope you’ll find ways that allow your family or group to support our work in 2024.
The generosity of the community is vital for us to focus on children’s physical and medical needs as well as their mental health and social well-being.
I look forward to sharing details of our new event next spring! If you have any questions, please email Lauren Jensen, [email protected], who sent this on my behalf.
Meg Brzyski Nelson
President, Children’s Wisconsin Foundation
This is a breaking news story. An update and/or follow-up may be issued if further details are revealed.
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