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: When Kate returned to Peace Corps service (RPCRV Georgia 2016-2017) 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 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 Runner's Choice over the course of two days!
• 2022: Tricia Blanco (ODFR and RPCV Honduras 1982-1984), Jessica Collins (ODFR), Julet Frazier (community volunteer), Cassie Rademaekers, Kate Schachter and Kathleen Wannemuehler are this year's team, planning another new way of running the event as a Runner's Choice: in-person or virtual from anywhere in the world to suit runner's preferences. We found that the generosity of the running community, combined with current world events around refugees and immigrants, means that we all care deeply about good community citizenship and support.
• 2023: Tricia Blanco, Jessica Collins (ODFR), Julet Frazier (community volunteer), Erica Hoyt (ODFR), Matt Munns (ODFR), Kate Schachter, and Kathleen Wannemuehler built on our team experience from 2022 to surpass records, both number of runner registrations and total dollars donated.
• 2024: Tricia Blanco, Julet Frazier, Cassie Rademaekers, Kate Schachter, Kathleen Wannemuehler and Madeline Uraneck are back as the "old-timers" on the planning team. ODFR was also very generous in helping us find additional core planners: Kyle Studnicka-Pineda, Stephanie Taylor, Lily Varilla, Carol Wilson and Casey Wong.
• 2025: The planning committee for 2025 is a wonderful collaboration between ODFR volunteers Stephanie Taylor, Jason Mack, Carol Wilson, Kyle Studnick-Pineda, and Dannah Altiti, RPCVs Kathleen Wannemuehler & Tricia Blanco and friends of the organizations Julet Frazier and Josie Anderson. 

  

Race Details

Year	Runners	Expenses	$$$ Donated	Race time weather
2025-Mar 1	404	$5,064	~$23,000	19⁰-24⁰F; mostly sunny; brisk winds up to 20 mph; clear pavement
2024-Mar 2	383	$2,492	$19,232	50⁰-60⁰F; mostly sunny; brisk winds from S 10-20 mph broke up lake ice; clear pavement (warmest Freeze)
2023-Mar 4	404	$3,679	$16,840	45⁰F and cloudy during 5k; 10K with temps in the mid-30s,  brisk wind with wintry mix; recent snow but clear pavement
2022-Mar 5	361	$3,693	$14,577	44⁰F; sun during 5K; 10K with driving rain and rainbow; clear pavement
2021-Mar 6-7	127	$1,471	$10,243	43⁰F; winds gusty S 17-26 mph, no snow or rain; partly sunny; all virtual over 2 days
2020-Mar 7	252	$4,394	$6,900	50⁰F, winds gusty S 10-20 mph, no snow or rain, partly sunny, clear pavement
2019-Mar 2	185	$3,073	$5,800	24⁰F; winds NNW 1-6 mph, no snow or rain; cloudy; snow/ice pavement
2018-Mar 3	174	$4,241	$5,533	42⁰F; winds SE 12-15 mph, no snow or rain; sunny; clear pavement
2017-Mar 4	273	$3,233	$6,138	36⁰F; winds ESE 18 mph, no snow or rain; partly sunny; clear pavement
2016-Jan 23	282	$3,012	$5,600	31⁰F; winds SW 10-11mph with a 17mph gust during the 10K, no snow or rain; clear pavement
2015-Jan 17	200	$1,634	$3,776	40⁰F; winds SW 9-10mph with 21mph gusts; light drizzle during 10K; clear pavement
2014-Jan 18	143	$1,176	$2,588	17°F; 10 mph winds; snow flurries during 5K; cleared snow on most of the run, except up the Edgewood College hill
2013-Jan 23	183	$580	$3,096	43°F; 20 mph winds, with strong headwind on last section of 10K; mostly sunny; no ice
2012-Jan 21	110	$994	$2,061	12°F; 0-2 mph winds; sunny; 3“ of snow the day before was well plowed before race time; footing was slippery, but consistent; no ice
2011-Jan 22	137	$1,063	$2,659	12°F; windy; 1“ new snow
2010-Jan 23	205	$907	$3,439	35°F; all pavement, no ice/snow
2009-Jan 24	117	$820	$2,378	5°F; no wind, hard snow on pavement
2008-Jan ?	83	$551	$2,085	0°F; 20 mph wind, icy, frigid cold
2007-Jan ?	160	$382	$2,795	25°F; no snow on pavement
2006-Jan ?	180	$770	$3,443	32°F; 3 inches fresh snow, sunny
2005-Jan ?	70	$688	$1,474	10°;F; v windy, 10 inches fresh snow
2004-Jan	75	$668	$2,574	20°F; 2 inches fresh snow, patches of ice
2003-Jan 25	129	$700	$2,824	20°F; windy
2002-Jan 26	200	?	$3,300	50°F;
2001-Jan 20	167	$500	$3,338	20°F; sunny, no snow; classic freeze
2000-Jan 22	120	$628	$2,901	25°F; cloudy; snow on ground
1999-Jan 23	?	$734	$2,200	33°F; cloudy; rainy
1998-Jan 24	?	?	$3,544	26°F; mostly cloudy; 0.06″ snow; SW winds 7mph
1997-Jan 25	?	?	$3,000	1⁰F; sunny; no snow; NW winds 5mph
1996-Jan 27	?	?	$2,400	9⁰F; mostly cloudy; no snow; SE winds 6mph
1995-Jan 28	?	$575	$2,773	24⁰F; mostly cloudy; 0.01″ snow; NW winds 15mph
1994-Jan 29	40	$350	$815	26⁰F; cloudy; no snow; SE winds 12mph
1993-Jan 23	?	$366	$865	26⁰F; cloudy; 0.02″ snow; SW winds 13mph
1992-Jan ?	56	$300	$831	5⁰F; sunny; no snow; NW winds 15mph
1991-Jan ?	108	$300	$1,474	40⁰F; mostly cloudy; no snow; SW winds 17mph
1990-Jan 27	106	$275	$1,205	31⁰F; cloudy; 0.05″ snow; NE winds 15mph
1989-Jan 28	81	$256	$1,076	31⁰F; sunny; no snow; SW winds 22mph
1988-Jan 23	98	$291	$1,621	11⁰F; cloudy; 0.03″ snow; S winds 5mph
1987-Jan ?	78	$246	$1,300	25⁰F; cloudy; no snow; little wind
1986-Jan 11	80	$204	$920	40⁰F; cloudy; no snow; SW winds 16mph
1985-Jan 12	110	$196	$2,042	-9⁰F; sunny; no snow; NW winds 21mph (coldest Freeze)
1984-Jan 14	89	$145	$839	1⁰F; cloudy; no snow; S winds 17mph
1983-Jan 15	106	$105	$622	32⁰F; cloudy; 0.08″ snow; NE winds 12mph
1982-Jan 23	45	$70	$335	7⁰F; wind chill -45⁰F; mostly sunny; 0.12″ snow
TOTAL TO-DATE (202):	$43,270+	$144,244	$163,456