The Charlie Melvin Mad Bomber Run celebration’s fifth annual edition is expected to be the biggest and best yet, Damaris Kunkler told Iola Rotarians Thursday. THE MELVIN event is the single largest fundraiser for Thrive and co-sponsor Allen County Crime Stoppers.
Kunkler, Thrive Allen County program director, reviewed the history of the event, which started as an adjunct to Iola’s sesquicentennial in 2009. The first year about 400 people participated in the 5K run and 2K walk, which started on West Street in front of the post office. Start time was 12:26 a.m., the exact time when Melvin detonated dynamite that damaged several beer joints and nearby buildings, including Allen County courthouse, but injured no one.
Melvin had a thing against consumption of alcohol, and showed his opposition in a dramatic way. He had stolen dynamite prior to his social misadventure, not all of which went off.
The triggering event for the unique community celebration occurred at 12:26 a.m. on July 9, 1905, with the time confirmed by a clock atop the courthouse being stopped by shock waves.
Run and walk participation has increased annually, Kunkler pointed out, by about 200 people each year.
“We had over 1,000 last year — maybe more because several who were undocumented joined in — and hope to have 1,200 or more this year,” she said. “Participants last year came from 11 states and 60 cities in Kansas. The youngest was a three-day-old baby (in a parent’s arms), the oldest an 86-year-old man.”
Preregistration may be done at the Thrive office, 12 W. Jackson, or by way of the Melvin website, madbomberrun.com.
“Crime Stoppers’ share goes for rewards it gives for information that leads to solution of crimes,” Kunkler said, while Thrives’ share “helps subsidize many of the other events we do.”
The celebration is much more than the run and walk, she stressed, “and we try to add things every year. Last year was the first for the kids’ carnival and the Parade of Lights.”
The carnival, with a variety of attractions, will occupy much of the west part of the courthouse lawn and Jackson Avenue form 5 to 11 p.m. on July 12. Family games also will be part of the fun.
“Last year we had kids on 75 lighted bicycles, as well as glow-in-the-dark floats,” Kunkler recalled.
She encourages those interested in the parade to decorate their bicycles, or themselves, in glow-in-the-dark accessories for the event. Employees at Walmart are setting up a display with glowing accessories, or Kunkler suggested coolglow.com as a website for cheap lights. There will be judges handing out awards for the best decorated. The parade begins at 9:30 p.m., and Kunkler said anyone participating must be there at 9 a.m. with decorations already in place.
A run-up to the 5K run and 2K walk again this year will be a drag race. It involves no cars, rather men dressed with as women, cavorting about the area and running a relay race — but don’t expect to see any frilly undergarments when skirts start flying.
Fuse lit for Melvin run, July 12-13
