2024 Runnin O' The Green

45TH ANNUAL RUNNIN O’ THE GREEN SET FOR MARCH 16 IN JAMESTOWN

Proceeds from the event support Elks Camp Grassick and cancer patients

BY MASAKI OVA

The Jamestown Sun

JAMESTOWN

The organizer of the 45th annual Runnin

O’ the Green is hoping for some good weather to help boost the turnout for the event.

“If the weather is good, it will be a really good time for a lot of people to get out and enjoy themselves,” said Larry Knoblich, event founder.

He said there are two main reasons the Run is held — to raise funds for Elks Camp Grassick and cancer patients and to have a good time.

Knoblich said he’s not sure what to expect for a turnout yet because very few people have registered for the event that will be held Saturday, March 16. He encouraged people to register for the event that helps support worthy causes.

The event supports Elks Camp Grassick and cancer patients in the area. Last year, $10,000 was donated to cancer

patients and $20,000 went to Elks Camp Grassick — a summer camp located near Dawson for children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities. The event helps 20 cancer patients, who each receive $500.

Knoblich said the event raised $40,000 on two occasions.

“I would love to have another event like that,” he said. He said the local bars on the route donate the bulk of the proceeds.

“I couldn’t begin to give $20,000 to Camp Grassick if it wasn’t for the bars donating gaming money,” he said.

The 45th Annual Runnin O’ The Green begins at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 16. The pub crawl stops at

“I couldn’t begin to give $20,000 to Camp Grassick if it wasn’t for the bars donating gaming money.”

10 bars along the way.

Participating bars include the Frontier Fort, Buff Bar & Lounge, The Club 1883, Elks Lodge #995, Corner Bar, Jonny B’s Brickhouse, Fred’s Den, The Wooly’s, All Vet’s Club and Shady’s Restaurant and Lounge.

“I’d plead with people to get the word out and to register for this run, be part of it,” Knoblich said.

“It’s a big event for motels and restaurants and so on in Jamestown, but mainly it’s an outpouring of our money and our feelings towards worthy organizations.”

Participants can register early at Wildside Creations or Cork & Barrel Liquors.

It costs $10 to register for the event, which all goes toward Elks Camp Grassick and cancer patients.

Early registration at Wildside Creations for $30 gets individuals a T-shirt and a $10 donation to Camp Grassick. Wildside Creations makes the T-shirts for the event and donates a large chunk of the sales to the Run.

Participants can also register for the event at the Elks Lodge #995 beginning at 4:30 p.m. Friday, March 15, which is the day before the Run. They can also sign up at the Elks Lodge on Saturday, March 16, starting at 10:30 a.m.

On the day of the Run, participants can register at the Club 1883 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Frontier Fort from noon to 2 p.m. and at the Buff Bar & Lounge from noon to 4 p.m.

on B11

LARRY KNOBLICH, FOUNDER OF THE RUNNIN O’ THE GREEN

M. Steiner / The Jamestown Sun file photo

45th annual Runnin O’ the Green will be held Saturday, March 16, in Jamestown. Run

John M. Steiner / The Jamestown Sun file photo

Participants of the Runnin O’ the Green will go down the hill north of Frontier Fort, cross the All Vets Bridge into McElroy Park and head to the Buff Bar & Lounge.

The first wave of runners will go down the hill north of Frontier Fort at 2 p.m. and cross the All Vets Bridge into McElroy Park before heading to the first stop – the Buff Bar & Lounge.

This year, Knoblich

said the Run will be held in memory of his wife, Joan (Readel) Knoblich, and the Rev. John Buchley. He said Buchley was the starter for about the first six events, meaning he shot the starting gun for the Run.

“John Buchley was born in Dublin, Ireland, and it was just natural for me to call him and ask him to shoot the starting gun and he was very excited about doing that,” Knoblich said. “My wife was at every Runnin O’ the Green from the very beginning until she passed away in 2011.“