Telluride Foundation: Telluride Community Rallies for 14th Annual Rundola, Fourth of July!

27 Jun Telluride Foundation: Telluride Community Rallies for 14th Annual Rundola, Fourth of July!

Telluride Foundation announces the 14th Annual Rundola.

Race proceeds to benefit Good Neighbor Fund.

Registration details and pricing are available at runreg.com/rundola.

Go here for more about the Telluride Foundation (back to 2009).

Race finishers atop San Sophia Ridge, courtesy Telluride Foundation.

Picture this. The brisk morning mountain air is electric with anticipation and birdsongs as the Town of Telluride comes alive. The sound of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” blasts through loudspeakers, and hundreds of smiling Telluridians and visitors donning Rundola hats line up at the starting line, preparing to blast their way up to San Sophia Ridge. Pride and excitement pulses through the crowd as racers plan their paths to the top. Three…two…one…BANG! The starting gun fires, and just like that, they’re off!

The Telluride Foundation Rundola is more than just a race. The event is a celebration of community, perseverance, and love for this special place we call home. The Rundola has become a beloved 4th of July tradition but takes on a deeper meaning this year. For the first time in the race’s 14-year history, proceeds from the Rundola will benefit the Good Neighbor Fund (GNF), a critical safety net for the residents and workforce in the Telluride region. The fund provides emergency assistance to local families experiencing unexpected financial hardship.

Since 2020, the GNF has awarded $1.3 million in emergency financial aid to 944 local families with limited resources, struggling to make ends meet. Requested assistance totaled $1.7 million during that same period, leaving many needs unmet. Requests for funding are vetted by Tri-County Health Network’s community health navigators, who connect applicants with other appropriate programs and benefits like SNAP, Energy Outreach Colorado, Medicaid, or insurance through Connect for Health, to promote long-term sustainability.

“No one should have to choose between keeping a roof over their head or paying for critical medical treatment or fixing a broken vehicle,” said Amy Rowan, Manager of the Good Neighbor Fund. “I have seen community members experience a crisis, like breaking a leg, getting sick and missing work, and having a difficult time paying necessary bills, like rent, car fees or utilities. Assisting with payments has allowed people to avoid falling further behind on their bills and, in some cases, avoid having to leave our community.”

Each month, Tri-County health receives more applications for GNF aid than the Fund can fulfill. In June alone, requests for aid totaled $18,000, well over the budgeted $5,000 awarded each month. The GNF committee currently anticipates that their funds will likely run out by the end of June, making a fundraiser like the Rundola crucial and timely.

“The Rundola has always brought our community together through an uplifting challenge, but choosing the Good Neighbor Fund as the race beneficiary allows us to directly impact the lives of neighbors in crisis,” said Jason Corzine, President & CEO of the Telluride Foundation. “The Rundola embodies the tenacious Telluride spirit and our commitment to community.”

The event starts at 8 a.m. on July 4th. Participants can choose their own route up the mountain. They can run, walk, or slog up the 4,600-foot Telluride Trail with an average grade of 13%, or bushwhack straight up the mountain for an even steeper climb. All finishers will receive the event’s famous commemorative hat, with the first 450 registrants also scoring a commemorative tote bag. A free breakfast awaits at Oak after the race. Great prizes from Yeti and The Alpineer are lined up for podium finishers and the fastest racer in each timed category as well as the three fastest racers overall will receive medals. Each racer will receive information about how to fundraise upon registration, and a special prize will be awarded to the top fundraiser. Race awards are handed out at 10am at Oak.

Race packet pickup and on-site registration will be held on July 3rd from 11am-2pm at the Telluride Gondola.

On-site registration will also be available on July 4 from 7-7:50am if the race hasn’t sold out.

The 2024 Rundola is sponsored by Alpine Bank, The Basis Point, Telluride Properties, Sotheby’s Telluride, Jagged Edge Mountain Gear, Dominion Payroll, The Alpineer, Yeti, Telluride Association of Realtors, Mountain Village Wine Merchant, Eco Cleaners, Telluride Center for Dentistry, Tim’s Naturals, Telluride Luxury, Exceptional Stays, and Home Loan Insurance. Oak Restaurant, The US Forest Service, Telluride Ski & Golf, and Mountain Village are also event supporters.

Telluride Foundation, more:

The Telluride Foundation is committed to enriching the quality of life of the residents, workforce, and visitors of the Telluride region. It is a nonprofit, apolitical community foundation that makes grants and runs programs in arts, education, health and human services, community development, and social enterprises.

For more information, please visit www.telluridefoundation.org.