Benefit Run Raises More Than $4,000 For SMC Alum, Family

10/03/09

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

SPARTANBURG, SC -- More than 300 participants took time out of their Saturday morning to give back to a Spartanburg Methodist College cross country alumnus and his family.

Toddlers, children and parents; students, faculty, staff and alumni; and members of the Upstate community participated in the Jeremy Vangsnes 5K Benefit Run on the SMC campus.  Some did choose to participate in a 1-mile fun walk.

More than $4,000 was raised from the event, along with a cake auction and tree sales, to help offset some medical costs for Jeremy Vangsnes, a 2008 SMC alum and cross country runner who was severely injured in a July 21 automobile accident near Bozeman, MT. Also injured in the accident were two of his brothers, Dan and Ryan. 

The Vangsnes brothers were returning to a summer missions program after a weekend getaway

Above, SMC President Dr. Colleen Keith talks to race participants

Above (l-r) Dan Vangsnes and Ryan Vangsnes talk about their brother Jeremy Below, Shane Kyzer finishes the 5K in first place.

when the accident occurred. Their brother Ryan suffered only minor injuries in the crash; however, Jeremy and Dan were both seriously injured. Jeremy suffered a severe closed head injury and was airlifted to a hospital in Billings where he would stay for over a month. 

After his long stay in an ICU and later an acute care facility in Montana he recently returned to S.C. on a medical flight where he continues his journey of recovery. Dan suffered multiple deep wound injuries but has made amazing strides rehabbing in Montana and will soon be coming home to Spartanburg.    

A fund has been set up at First Baptist Spartanburg to help cover family expenses for the Vangsnes. All money raised during Saturday's event will go into that fund. 

Both Dan and Ryan Vangsnes were present at the event Saturday and prior to the race spoke to the participants and crowds gathered in support, thanking them for their generosity and telling Jeremy's story.

Jeremy Vangsnes holds the SMC's track records in the mile and 10,000 meters and in the Cross County 8K, five of the school's Top 10 times in the 8K, and is its top men's cross country runner of all time.

Jeremy's father Mark Vangsnes said that he was overwhelmed by the amount of support and turnout Saturday morning.

"This is tremendous. The support that Jeremy and our entire family has received from SMC and the entire community has been so amazing. We've talked with Jeremy and told him about this event and what's going on. I wish he could be here to see this; he would be so proud and tickled by it. But he knows that his friends here are praying for him - we've told him that," said Mark Vangsnes.

Travis Eiler, a 2008 SMC alum and member of the men's cross country team for the same two years as Vangsnes, said he was very impressed with the event, turnout and support shown for the Vangsnes family.

"It was awesome to finally meet Jeremy's brother Dan and see Ryan and to hear them tell Jeremy's story. And I think it's great that so many people came out for this. I think it will be a great encouragement for Jeremy and his family to know that there are so many people that were here for them today. I really hope that God provides them more resources, but I know He will carry them through this time," says Eiler.
 
Eiler set two personal records this weekend - the first while competing with Southern Wesleyan University men's cross country team on Friday in an event at Presbyterian College. His time in Saturday's benefit run is his new personal 5K record.

"I was so glad that we (SWU) didn't have a race scheduled today so I could run in this. When I heard about this event, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to participate in it. But things worked out. It was such a blessing to do this for Jeremy - and that so many people have shown their support for him and his family. I'd be excited to run in another race here next year if there is one," says Eiler.

Shane Kyzer, an SMC sophomore and member of the men's cross country team, finished first in the 5K with a time of 17:06. Eiler came in 2nd with a time of 17:12, his new personal 5K record.

Rounding out the Top 10 in the 5K were:

• 3rd place - Cody Ellison, 17:49
• 4th place - Margaret Schmitt, 17:55
• 5th place - Camden Shealy, 18:26
• 6th place - Gary Wright, 18:39
• 7th place - Michael Rounds, 19:06 (2008 SMC alum and 2-year cross country runner at SMC)
• 8th place - Josh Brooks, 19:07 (2008 SMC alum and 2-year cross country runner at SMC)
• 9th place - Benjamin Griswold, 19:47
• 10th place - David Spark, 19:56

Kim Day, SMC's Director of Student Activities and Leadership Development, says the event exceeded expectations.

"We are so excited about the turnout we had today and how well the event went. It ended up being a beautiful day for it and we couldn't have asked God for it to go any better. We all were just so humbled to be able to honor Jeremy with this event and to be able to give back something to help support him and his family - because Jeremy gave so much of himself here at SMC," Day says.

Spartanburg Methodist College is in its 99th academic year of providing quality education to students in a Christian environment.  More than 90 percent of SMC graduates continue their education at other institutions of higher learning.

For more information, please contact Brian Fulkerson, Director of Public Information, at (864) 587-4254.

Related Links: Vangsnes Boys CaringBridge Web Site