Brown's Enterprises/New Balance St. Louis is honored to sponsor the inaugural 5-Mile Run/Walk for Remembrance, benefitting the Missouri State Highway Patrol's benevolent fund, the MASTERS (Missouri Association of State Troopers Emergency Relief Society).  Below is more background on this important event and why we encourage you to joins us on Saturday, November 19 for this important event.  

Beth Knight is the run director for the inaugural MSHP 5-Mile Run/Walk for Remembrance. She has three brothers and all are officers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol. She came up with the idea for the run after Sgt. Joe Schuengel was killed when his Bell Jet Ranger helicopter he was piloting crashed near the intersection of Clarkson and Kehrs Mill Road, in St. Louis County on October 15, 2010.

Beth was in New York at the time of Joe’s funeral. When she got back to her hotel room, she opened her laptop and saw a picture of her brother Mike carrying Joe to his final resting place. It was at that time she felt she had to do something to help the families of those lost in the line of duty while working for the Highway Patrol. She took her love of running and the MSHP and put together this event to bring awareness to the men and women in blue that protect us.

Sergeant Schuengel, 47, joined the Highway Patrol on August 1, 1993, and served as the Troop C pilot for seven years. Sergeant Schuengel is survived by his mother and three sisters. He is the 29th member of the Missouri State Highway Patrol to die in the line of duty. If you want to read a brief summary concerning the death of Sgt. Schuengel and the other officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice, visit www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/UltimateSacrifice/index.html.  This information is available so that we will never forget the sacrifices these officers made for the Patrol, the people of Missouri, and all who travel our highways.

This is the first time that the Highway Patrol Benevolent Fund has been the beneficiary of an event of this type and magnitude. The City of Weldon Spring has been very gracious to allow certain roads to close for the safety of those participating. Many law enforcement officers from the Highway Patrol and surrounding agencies will be on hand to direct traffic plus encourage runners and walkers. Many are participating too!  MoDOT’s mascot, Barrel Bob, will be on hand as well to motivate participants through the course.  A beautifully engraved medal will be waiting for everyone once they cross the finish line to act as a reminder of the event.  Ultimate Sacrifice t-shirts will also be sold for $15 to raise money for MASTERS.  The cotton tees have the MSHP logo on the front and the names of those officers who have died in the line of duty on the back.  We hope to see you all at Bryon Middle School on November 19 at 8 am. Click here to register or for more information:  http://themastersmo.org/

Brown’s Enterprises/New Balance St. Louis is honored to be a part of the inaugural Run/Walk for Remembrance, benefiting the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s benevolent fund, the MASTERS (Missouri Association of State Troopers Emergency Relief Society).

The Run/Walk for Remembrance will be held at Bryan Middle School in Weldon Spring on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 8 am.  The course highlight takes you through Troop C headquarters.  Entry for the run/walk is $25 through November 5, and $30 after. To receive a t-shirt, registration must be received no later than November 9.  All participants will receive a medal upon finishing.  To learn more information about MASTERS, download a run/walk form or to register online, visit http://themastersmo.org/.

You might be asking how we got involved in this worthwhile cause. Randy Brown, President of Brown’s Enterprises is a former member of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and our Marketing Manager’s husband is a current member.  Since the MSHP inception in 1931, a total of 31 officers have made the ultimate sacrifice, with 10 of those occurring since 2000.  This run/walk will benefit the families who have been left behind and is in honor of Sgt. Joe Schuengel, the Troop C officer who lost his life when the helicopter he was piloting crashed in Chesterfield, MO, on October 15, 2010.

Not only are we sponsoring and volunteering at the event, many of our employees will be participating! Join us to register on Saturday, November 5 from 10 am - 2 pm at New Balance St. Louis, located in The Meadows at Lake St. Louis, or register online at http://themastersmo.org/.

Give back to the men and women in blue who serve and protect us every day by joining us for the Run/Walk for Remembrance on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 8 am. Thanks for your support!

The best way to describe the 13^th annual Komen St. Louis Race for the Cure – CELEBRATION!  Over 64,000 participants (including almost 5,000 breast cancer survivors) showed up last Saturday in an iconic sea of pink, raising over $3M for another wildly successful Race for the Cure in St. Louis.

Following 90+degree temperatures in St. Louis the week prior, intense storms had passed through the area early Saturday morning, making way for a much-welcomed cool front.  As the cool breeze and the sound of music flooded the streets downtown, thousands of walkers, runners, kids, and even dogs donned in pink joined together to smile, laugh, hug and support the fight for a cure for breast cancer. New Balance St. Louis was honored to participate in this familiar and hard-fought cause. What a special privilege to make a positive impact!

Everyone knows someone affected by breast cancer. Whether it’s a friend, family member or co-worker, it’s never easy to hear the news. Get involved and help in your own way to help fight the battle for those who win and for those who don’t.  You can make a difference.   http://ww5.komen.org/GetInvolved/GetInvolved.html

My first Susan G. Komen 5k Race for the Cure was in 1999. No one could have prepared me for the emotion and inspiration I would feel. Sweating profusely in the unforgiving St. Louis summer humidity, sizing up my competition - numbers far exceeding my expectations - I stretched my calves and planned my strategy and fought the crowd for a spot near the starting line. About a mile or so in, I was able to get my stride and find a little space. I tried to get in my normal race "zone" - breathing in through the nose; out the mouth...as I noticed signs on the backs of some runners in front of me. "In loving memory of Grandma." "I run to celebrate the life of my mom." I felt my throat swell, and tears in my eyes mix with the sweat from my forehead. Suddenly, the race became so much more than a competition for a cause. It became hope. It became inspiration. It became a celebration of those who fought the fight and won...and for those who lost someone in the battle.

So as I jogged along the riverfront with the sun scorching my shoulders, I did start breathing in through the nose and out the mouth. But the "race" became more of a journey. Thousands of people showing support, strength and determination to finish at their own pace...and ultimately race for a cure.

Please consider heading to downtown St. Louis on Saturday, June 11 for the 13th annual Race for the Cure, or find one in your city. If you've never experienced it, you will be glad you did. Hope to see you at the finish line.

During the long holiday weekend, please keep the Joplin, Missouri community in your thoughts and prayers as they recover from recent devastating tornadoes. Through our local Washington, MO Parks Department, we were fortunate to be able to contribute over 175 pairs of Men, Women and Kids’ shoes, which we hope will help those in need. We encourage everyone to consider giving in whatever capacity you can to help this misfortunate community. Those wishing to donate can do so online at www.redcross-ozarks.org.