Memorial banners will be given to family members after this year's May race

At the end of this year’s Freeman Joplin Memorial Run, race officials have announced they will give the memorial banners honoring the 161 lives lost in the 2011 tornado to family members.

“We are excited to be able to gift these banners to the families of those lost on that terrible day. Approximately 20,000 runners have passed through these banners over the last 12 years in an often-emotional tribute to those who perished. These banners carry a great deal of meaning to these families and we are happy to be able to honor them in this way,” Audie Dennis, founder of the run and president of Active Lifestyle Events, said in a statement.

Distribution of the memorial banners will take place at 11:30 a.m. May 18 at the memorial sculpture on the southeast corner of the Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex at 212 W. Seventh St.

Family members can submit are a request to receive their loved one’s banner at https://www.joplinmemorialrun.com/banners.

Family members will then receive either an email, text or call prior to race day regarding their request from 417-359-4185 or tonya@alerun.onmicrosoft. com to confirm if they were determined to be the authorized recipient. If more than one person submits a claim for the same banner, they will be prioritized by the apparent closest relative or relationship — priority is set at spouse first, children second, parents third, sibling fourth, etc., with final determination to be made by the Active Lifestyle Events committee.

This year’s Walk of Silence and run, on Friday and Saturday, May 17-18, will be the last.

The Walk of Silence honoring the victims of the 2011 tornado will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, May 17.

Races will be held May 18 and include:

• The Freeman half-marathon. The entry fee is now $82, but it will go to $85 on May 5.

• The Sparklight 10K, which costs $55 now and goes to $60 on May 5.

• The Liberty 5K, which is now $45 and goes to $50 on May 5.

• The Sign Designs Kids mile run, which is $20 and will remain that cost until the day of the race.

Race officials say they are anticipating upward of 2,500 runners this year.

The run started on the first anniversary of the May 22, 2011, tornado to honor the 161 people who died because of the storm.

Since then, it has generated more than $350,000 for area nonprofit organizations that serve residents. Among other things, funds were used to build two new homes for tornado survivors and a playground for the rebuilt Bill and Virginia Leffen Center for Autism, which also was destroyed in the storm.

However, because of a decline in participation, volunteer fatigue and increased costs, organizers of the run have announced plans to discontinue it after this year.

This year, the race will start at the 70-foot-tall stainless steel memorial sculpture in memory of those who died that is on the grounds of the Cornell Complex. The monument bears the names of those killed by the tornado. Starting downtown allows runners to pass through the 161 banners with the names of the storm victims.

Registration for the final run is open on the organization’s website at www. joplinmemorialrun.com. Go there for more information, including maps and details about packet pickup.