Freeze for Food

The 40th Annual Virtual Freeze for Food was scheduled over two days (Runners' Choice) - Saturday or Sunday, March 6 or 7, 2021.

Our race is never canceled due to weather, but this year it is virtual due to pandemic!

Self-report of race distance and time results for 2021 are at ItsRaceTime.

Tired of feeling cooped up inside your homes for most of the winter? Join the RPCVs of Wisconsin-Madison in celebration of 60 years of Peace Corps for our 40th annual Freeze for Food. Run or walk (while physically distancing yet socially present) to escape cabin fever and at the same time help raise funds to support programs of Madison's Open Doors for Refugees, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the resettlement of refugees in the Madison area and welcoming them into the community.

SUPPORT MADISON'S REFUGEES

Refugees who struggled to get to the US from many different countries (Syria, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of the Congo), now must learn a new language and new customs. They miss families they left and worry about their ongoing dangers. In this pandemic year, many have low paid jobs as front line workers. Some have lost jobs, some entire families have contracted COVID-19. They struggle to pay rent and medical bills. Running or walking in winter gives YOU exercise and enjoyment of Wisconsin's beautiful outdoors. Your registration fee and donations help 100 families feel more welcome and supported in a new city. Be part of Madison's safety net. All proceeds from Freeze for Food will be used for food security and relief efforts for incoming refugees.

REGISTER NOW!

Register online anytime up to Sunday, March 7. Your racer bag with a buff (if opted for one) and International Calendar will be mailed to you. This year we're offering a special family "pod" discount if you sign up for three people at a time. Be sure to log your distance and time by end of day on Monday, March 8 so we can close the race results and send a final report.

Rate Category	Early Bird  Before 2/15/2021	Eff. 2/16/21 - 3/7/2021
Per Runner	$20	$30
"Pod" of 3	$50	$75
**Student Rate	$10	$10

**REMEMBER: Overall registration is unlimited. Student rate is limited to 50 participants.

Register online with Its Race Time anytime, including the day of the race.

WHAT'S IN THE BAG? All registrants receive an 2021 International Calendar, a stylin' buff in the color of your choice, and other sponsor information.

AWARD AGE CATEGORIES: Since the race is not chip-timed, there are no awards.

Your reward is your participation on a chilly day for a great cause.

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VOLUNTEER!

We rely on many volunteers, like Tamara England, Joy Amessoudji and Amy Amessoudji, pictured here in 2018.

The 2021 race committee consists of Tom Felhofer, Ashley Gries, Joyce Muxfeld, Cassie Rademaekers, Kate Schachter, Madeline Uraneck, and Kathleen Wannemuehler. If you can help with many different tasks both before and on race day, send an email to freeze@rpcvmadison.org. 

SPONSORS

Generous support by our sponsors means that 100% of your registration fee goes to Open Doors for Refugees. If you'd like to be a sponsor and see your name on the 2021 list, send an email to  freeze@rpcvmadison.org.

Fleet Feet level ($500+)

• Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin
• UW-Madison International Division
• Willy Street Grocery Cooperative

Swift Feet level ($300+)

• Dental Health Associates of Madison
• Karls Family Dentistry
• Old National Bank
• Smart Motors

Happy Feet level ($200+)

• Delta Remodeling, Host Country National and RPCV/Nicaragua 2013-2015
• Glenn Bechler, RPCV South Korea 1972-1975
• Joyce Muxfeld

Friendly Feet ($100+)

• Anonymous x 1
• Larry Burnett
• Michael Falk

 

A Short History of the Freeze

The Freeze for Food has been a labor of love for the RPCVs of Madison. Through the years it has been passed on from member to member to manage as a fundraiser for food security projects. After the International Calendar began making a profit (around 1992), a certain amount from calendar sales has been allocated to supporting the expenses of the Freeze – currently at the rate of $2,000 per race. Following is a short history of the event’s managers and fund beneficiaries. Of course, many RPCVs (whether group members or not) and friends have played a huge role on race day to help with the details, usually around 30 people getting together to enjoy a crisp winter day.

• 1982: Wade DallaGrana (RPCV Lesotho 1976-1978) started the Freeze for Food. The group was raising money for Oxfam, and Wade was a runner; he put 2 and 2 together, and started the fundraiser. Wade’s last race was 1990.
• 1990: Deb Stapleton (RPCV Honduras 1985-1987) managed the Freeze for the next four years.
• 1994: Dave Hamilton (RPCV Honduras 1985-1987) took over for another 4 years through 1998.
• 1999: Peter Joyce (RPCV Guatemala 1981-1984) and Rick Lackey (RPCV Micronesia 1982-1984) took it up. Peter noticed the burnout working with Oxfam and that as a global organization, Oxfam really did not know what we were doing. He proposed to the Board that we work with a local group instead of Oxfam, thinking that they would have a better connection, and could provide us with people on race day. Someone stated that we should work with one of the Madison Sister City projects. We asked all 6 or 7 groups to make us a one page proposal. Only two groups responded: Working Capital for Community Needs (WCCN) and Colombia Support Network (CSN). CSN’s was the better of the two.
• 2011: Kate Schachter (RPCV Ghana 2004-2007) agreed to manage the Freeze, not wanting to see it fade away when Peter and Rick decided it was time to step aside. However, she wanted CSN to help with the planning, not just on the day of the event. Jack Laun (co-Director of CSN and RPCV Panama 1967-1969) agreed to co-chair the planning. Other RPCV and CSN members were also brought into the planning team.
• 2016: Stephanie Shelton (RPCV Tonga 2012-2014) and Tom Felhofer (RPCV Malawi 1988-1990), both committed Freeze volunteers and runners for several years, agreed to co-chair with CSN. A switch was made to a chip timing company, which made a big difference in expenses, but also in donated profits.
• 2017: Because of the increase in the refugee crisis in Syria, as well as other countries worldwide, Steph and Tom presented an alternate beneficiary of the Freeze funds to the Board. Open Doors for Refugees, formed in Madison, was selected. Madeline Uraneck (RPCV Lesotho 2004-2009) from Open Doors liases on the race details.
• 2018: Kate returned from Peace Corps service in Georgia, and rejoined the organizing team with Tom,  Steph and Madeline.
• 2019: Lauren Troxtel (RPCV Ethiopia 2012-2014) stepped forward to be the Race Director. Kate and Madeline remain on the team, Tom and Steph are backing up while slowly backing out, and as always we work with a lot of volunteers.
• 2020: Lauren, Tom, and Kate remain on the team. Madeline and Joyce Muxfeld (Open Doors for Refugees member) represent Open Doors support in producing the event. The event was held two weeks before the pandemic shutdown all in-person events.
• 2021: Tom Felhofer, Ashley Gries (RPCV Panama 2008-2010), Joyce Muxfeld, Cassie Rademaekers (RPCV Nepal 1983-1985), Kate Schachter, Madeline Uraneck, and Kathleen Wannemuehler (RPCV Kenya 1994-1996) create a team from both the RPCV Madison and Open Doors organizations. Forty years of the Freeze for Food and a pandemic have made us get creative about how to run a safe race. It is Runners' Choice over the course of two days!