It is an honor for the Winona Community Foundation to award the members of the BK5k Road Race Planning Committee with the 2024 Founders Award. Each year, the award honors an individual or group in our community who has demonstrated and extraordinary commitment to improving life in Winona through the use of their time, talent, and treasure. 2024 marks the 20^th year the award has been given to a member of our community.

Pictured from left to right: John Marter, Taylor Ranta Oborski, Ellen Stolts, Jeremy Johnson, Ben Johnson.

Since the BK5K Road Race began in 2001, it has raised over $2.2 million that has directly supported youth organizations in Winona. Its planning committee responsible for the coordination of these races is entirely volunteer-run.

Originally called the BK5K Memorial Road Race, the race was hosted by the Rotary Club of Winona and was the first running race in the area to offer trophies to runners who outperformed their previous best time. Not long after the road race was created, its focus began to shift from a primarily competitive endeavor to a community-focused event. During its integration into Fastenal and merge with the Steamboat Stumble, it was decided to align the benefactors to what Bob Kierlin values, which is young individuals in our community. Money raised by the Road Race is donated through a grant process to local area youth organizations and programs that demonstrate financial need. Recipients of these grants are evaluated for merit by a separate committee and are dispersed in partnership with the Winona Community Foundation.

The impact of the committee’s work has given many unique opportunities to local non-profits and schools, and the youth they serve. As current race director Paul Wisniewski puts it, “Because of local need, these grants really do make a huge difference. We get emails and thank you notes all the time from kids that have benefitted from the race. The committee lives and works in Winona, so to be able to see and hear the impact the youth grants have is really rewarding.” The road race is also kept affordable so families can participate as a whole.

Due to success and a desire to have a wider impact, the BK5K Road Race has since grown to ten cities, both across the country and internationally. The BK5K Road Race is proud to continue its mission of serving youth in its 23rd year. It is an honor for the Foundation to award the Bk5K Road Race Planning Committee and their ongoing commitment to Winona.

BK5K Race Director:

Paul Wisniewski

BK5K Winona Race Committee:

Ben Johnson

Connie Griffin

Ellen Stolts

John Marter

Lynda Carstenbrock

Miriam Li

Patrick McNamara

Rylee Gabel

Sara Pientok 

Sasha Case 

Taylor Ranta Oborski

BK5K Winona Grant Committee:

Connie Griffin

Ellen Stolts

Holden Lewis

Jeremy Johnson

John Marter

Steve Appelwick

Sally Olson

Founders Event

The annual Founders Award recognizes individuals who:

Each year, the individual selected to receive the award has the opportunity to grant $5,000 dollars from the Founders Endowment Fund of the Winona Community Foundation to the charity of their choice.

The Winona Community Foundation is a catalyst for igniting generosity and building the vibrant and enduring place we call home. The Foundation exists to support and build our community. We work with donors, nonprofits and professional advisors to meet immediate and long-term community needs through giving and granting. Our team of professionals are deeply familiar with the short-term, mid-term, and long-term needs of our community, as well as the nonprofits that are working to address those needs.

The Winona Community Foundation offers a range of charitable options and funds for individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits to accomplish their philanthropic goals. As your trusted partner, resource, and steward for community philanthropy, the Foundation is committed to helping every individual give back in a way that is both meaningful to them and the causes they care about.

We strive to support and improve our community. We believe philanthropy has the power to transform lives and shape the future of our community and world. And, we believe everyone has the potential and capacity to be a philanthropist. With that as our guiding principle, we work to help people of all means improve our community and world – today and in the future.

The Founders Award originated from the Founders Fund. This fund was  created in 2003 to honor all of the individuals who planted the seed for the start of the Winona Community Foundation in the 1980s. This endowed fund awards dollars to local non-profit chosen in the name of an individual or organization that clearly touched community life for all time. Past recipients of this award include: