December 19, 2020
21st annual Run For The Ranch
RACE DAY - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2020
About The Race
Run for the Ranch began in 1999 as a fund raiser for the Good Samaritan Boys Ranch, Ozark Mountain Ridge Runners, and other local charities. The event is held annually on the last weekend of the year and is traditionally one of the last chances in the calendar
year to Marathon in the United States.
Run For The Ranch
Benefiting the Good Samaritan Boys Ranch
The Cause-
Good Samaritan Boys Ranch
The Reverend Bob Johnson of Springfield, Missouri founded the Good Samaritan Boys Ranch in 1959. The concept was simple, provide a home for local children who had no home and no where to turn. The idea took off, and soon the pastor and his wife were caring for more than forty boys. The ranch met with much success in providing a home for those without one, and in helping to guide young lives in a positive direction.
With this success came additional requests for help. Over time the demand for services increased dramatically. Even local judicial officials began to refer juveniles who had gone astray of the law to the Ranch for rehabilitation. This placed an even larger strain on the already limited financial resources of the Ranch. Through the generosity of surrounding communities and the foresight of the board of directors, the focus of the Ranch’s mission was narrowed to serving only those who were severally troubled. This focus continues as the major part of the Ranch’s mission today.
Good Samaritan Boys Ranch
We believe..... Society is transformed when we end the cycle of child abuse that bleeds from one generation to the next.
Ozark Mountain Ridge Runners
Our Mission
Is to promote the health benefits of running as well as the pleasurable and competitive aspects of the sport while doing our part to improve the lives of others.
About
The Ozark Mountain Ridge Runners is a not-for-profit organization of nearly 400 individuals dedicated to wellness, fitness, running, and
caring. All OMRR Board members are unpaid volunteers. All proceeds to OMRR are used for club-related activities such as supporting local and national charities, organizing local races, publishing the
Running Briefs newsletter and this Web site, and maintaining a clean environment. We need fitness enthusiasts of all types to support OMRR. Please become a member and join with us in our crusade for
fun, fitness, and caring!
History
The Ozark Mountain Ridge Runners was founded in 1978, due primarily to the efforts of Dr. Wayne C. McKinney of Missouri State University and
Floyd R. Johnson, Jr. In the 1970's Dr. McKinney directed an annual Two Mile Jog, an estimated time run. Floyd Johnson conducted "Fun Runs" on a regular basis, which tended to be more competitive in
nature. In 1977 a group of Springfield runners, called the Ozark Mountain Road Runners, entered the National AAU 20 Kilometer Championship at Tulsa, OK, and finished in second place. Team member
Clyde O. Johnson won first in the 50-59 year age group.
In 1978, Wayne McKinney and Floyd Johnson decided to co-found an area running club. Johnson recommended the name Ozark Mountain Ridge
Runners and McKinney phrased the OMRR motto, "Train for the Health of It...Race for the Fun of It!", which highlights the two major objectives of OMRR. The club was formally organized on May 17,
1978 and became affiliated with the Road Runner's Club of America. Clyde O. Johnson was
elected the first OMRR President. OMRR began sponsoring local races ranging from 1 mile to 50 miles in length. The club's newsletter, Running Briefs, began in the 1970s and the club's Web site was
launched in 1999 by OMRR Board member Richard Johnson and is now managed by OMRR member David Wilcox. Since then OMRR began sponsoring several races for charity and started several running programs,
such as Runner of the Year, the PR Corner, and the Triple Crown of Racing.
Ozark Mountain Ridge Runners
Southwests Missouri's largest running community
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