The small but strong Thanksgiving tradition known as the Rau-athon came together for yet another year in Waterloo, with folks gathering for the fundraising fun-run before stuffing their faces for the holiday.

Proceeds this year benefitted Waterloo locals Ashlynn Reed and her family. Ashlynn, 9, was born with a rare neurological disorder called bilateral open lip schizencephaly, requiring a great deal of support and care from her parents.

As the Givebutter campaign web page for the fundraiser says, one impact of her condition is wheelchair dependency – though the family has hardly let that stop them as they take their little girl camping, boating and on plenty of other adventures.

This year’s Rau-athon fundraiser specifically centered around helping the Reeds afford a handicap accessible van to make sure Ashlynn can continue to join the rest of the family as she grows up.

Nathan Rau, who organizes the Thanksgiving event alongside his wife Annette, said donations this year have come in right around $24,000 – though the precise number is somewhat hard to nail down as donations come from checks to House of Neighborly Service both before and during the event, not to mention the handful of donations made online.

Rau voiced appreciation for all those who donated, mentioning in particular an anonymous donor who’s substantial contribution helped make this another record year for the event.

Last year’s donations passed $20,000, double that of 2023’s total.

“I would say, had that person not donated, we would have had a record year this year except for last year,” Rau said. “I think we set a record on fundraising, and attendance struck me as rather large this year as well.”

The Rau-athon first got started in 2012, with a comparatively much humbler group of runners looking to avoid the crowds of the St. Louis Turkey Trot but still enjoy a Thanksgiving run.

As the festivities grew – not hitting big city numbers but still managing to garner a crowd that more than fills the Raus’ yard – so too has the emphasis on charity, with donations gathered to benefit a number of local families and individuals in need of some support.

Rau said the Reeds were selected this year given his wife’s connection thanks to her employment at Waterloo Junior High School, though it did take some needling before they accepted the help.

“You don’t want to only raise money for people you know, but when you have a connection, it’s kind of an instantly-verified situation,” Rau said. “They were very shy at first, and we sure weren’t gonna do it without their permission, but Annette assured them we would really like to do this, and they said, ‘Yeah, that’d be great.’”

Still speaking on the charity aspect of the Rau-athon, Rau also offered thanks to House of Neighborly Service for acting as an official channel for the funds.

He further thanked HNS Executive Director Natalie Kawalec for doing such quick work, getting together with the charity’s board to establish an account for the Reeds to ensure the fundraiser came together as it needed to.

“There’s an awkwardness to me about handing someone a check for like, $24,000, and it also provides a very official, legal charity to have the funds go through, so I want to give them a big compliment,” Rau said.

The charity element of the Rau-athon is core to the event, helping it become a much-loved tradition for those who participate.

There’s also something to be said about the run itself, however, as families have come together each year to enjoy a mile run for the kids and a 5K walk/run for the adults.

Rau noted the great response offered by the community, voicing his pride for the attendance and thanking neighbors and the city for their patience and collaboration when it comes to hosting this event.

He further reiterated appreciation for the community and the generosity shown every year as folks turn up to show support for a family in need.

“We live in a community that’s really great in a lot of different ways, and we get a lot of very nice thank-yous, and I appreciate it, but I think with this community that we live in… if you explain a need and just do a little bit of logistics and give people the opportunity to help, it’s amazing how they just run to it,” Rau said.