Freeze for Food

The 39th Freeze for Food is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, March 7, 2020.

On the spot race times provided by ItsRaceTime!

Our race is never canceled due to weather.

Join the RPCVs of Wisconsin-Madison in celebration of Peace Corps Week for our 39th annual Freeze for Food. Run or walk to raise funds to support programs of Madison’s Open Doors for Refugees! Open Doors for Refugees is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the resettlement of refugees in the Madison area and welcoming them into the community. All proceeds from Freeze for Food will be used for relief efforts for incoming refugees.

VOLUNTEER!

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

The 2019 race committee consisted of Lauren Troxtel, Kate Schachter, Madeline Uraneck, Steph Shelton and Tom Felhofer. If you can help with many different tasks both before and on race day, please watch for signup opportunities. If you would like to be part of the 2020 race committee, contact the Race Director.

SPONSORS

We rely on our sponsors to provide chip timing services and access to running shirts. Their support allows all of your registration fee to go to Open Doors for Refugees. Thank you to our 2019 sponsors!

Gold Level ($300 and up)

• Capital Insurance, Germantown WI
• Felhofer CPA SC, Germantown and Madison
• Old National Bank, Madison
• RPCVs of Wisconsin
• UW-Madison International Division
• Willy Street Coop

Silver or Bronze Level (<$300)

• American Family, DeForest
• Bagels Forever
• Festival Foods
• Just Coffee
• Movin’ Shoes
• Panera Bread

THE RACE COURSE

Both races start and end at the Vilas Park Shelter, 1602 Vilas Park Dr., Madison, WI 53715

The 5K race is held in the scenic Vilas Park roads and sidewalks and other nearby roads at the northern part of Lake Wingra. 

 The 10K race circles Lake Wingra and passes through the Arboretum.

Questions:

Contact the Freeze for Food Coordinator
Stay up to date on details by Friending us on our Freeze Facebook page.

 

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 managed the Freeze for the next four years.
• 1994: Dave Hamilton took over for another 4 years through 1998.
• 1999: Peter Joyce and Rick Lackey (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.
• 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.