‘Undie Rundie’ helps raise funds for Foster Adopt Connect program

Proceeds from the first Sock & Undie Rundie at McLane Park on Saturday will help the foster families in Southeast Missouri.

Mary Haldeman, program director of the Southeast Missouri branch office of FosterAdopt Connect in Poplar Bluff, is a foster and adoptive mother. Before sounding the air horn to start the race, Haldeman greeted the crowd which included 75 paid entries, with about 20 youngsters brought in strollers or walking with parents, plus about 25 volunteers. Also attending are the superheroes’ dogs.

Thanking them for showing support by participating in the event, she explained, “50% of the foster parents quit within the first year for various reasons. The greater the stability of the foster parents the greater the stability for the kids.”

Lora Ashcraft approaches the finish line as the fasted overall female.DAR/Paul Davis

Dr. Yeoman’s Dermatology Office sponsored the event with a $1,000 donation to purchase T-shirts, Haldeman said.

“Modern Woodmen of America, Tammy Parker, under agent Darrel Atchison, provided an up to $2,500 cash match, which we reached because of the generous sponsorship of The Dermatology Office, and donations from Dental Arts Group, Riley Stubbs & Cato LLC of Dexter, Redmond Properties and First Missouri State Bank,” Haldeman said.

In addition, SEMO Dog Trainers of Fisk has a non-profit group called Veterans & Dogs who met many times to work toward getting gift cards, prizes, awards and other items to give away at the event, she said. This is in addition to hosting their own small dog races and contests with all proceeds going to FosterAdopt Connect.

“Hefner Furniture has played a large role in helping advertise for the event at their store and on Facebook, as well as creating fliers and the nice banner for us to use at the event,” she said.

“Gary Croy, a popular local runner, donated his time and expertise in guiding me through the planning of the entire event,” Haldeman said. “This was a community effort.”

Haldeman added, “As far as the trophies, I gave (team) Veterans & Dogs the Team Spirit award for their dedication to this cause and the great help they gave to FosterAdopt Connect. Brian Wertenberger and Lora Ashcraft won first place trophies for top male and female runners. The other trophies went to the kids who were dressed up. I had plans to give them to a variety of types of winners, but when I saw the longing in all those kids’ eyes as they looked at the trophies I simply caved and gave all the rest of the trophies to the kids.”

Benjamin Cordia, 5, zooms by during the event. DAR/Paul Davis

Haldeman has been fostering 20 years in Butler County and was excited for the opportunity to serve the resource families in this capacity upon accepting this job in September 2017.

“We started this event to help bring awareness to the need for additional foster parents in this community, and the need for the community to work together to support local abused and neglected children by offering a variety of supports to those kids and to the families who care for them,” Haldeman said. “There are so many ways to support the foster or adoptive families you know — become a respite provider, baby-sit for a few hours, volunteer to transport a foster family’s kids to ball practice or other events, ask if you can drop off a meal, mentor one of the kids in the family, give the family annual passes to a theater or swim park, or pay for one of the kids to go to dance class or karate.”

She worked as a teacher and mental health counselor in Poplar Bluff for a couple decades before taking position.

Abigayle Robinson, 5, of Poplar Bluff, daughter of Anna and Ma Robinson, pets her super dog Dixie Mae before running Saturday.DAR/Barbara Ann Horton

“I have adopted four beautiful children out of the foster care system who are now ages 30, 9, 5, 4 and will be adopting my 14-month-old foster child this year. It would have been so helpful having FosterAdopt Connect and Sammy’s Window in Poplar Bluff the past 20 years of fostering because it would have provided me additional supports I would have greatly valued and certainly needed at different times.

FosterAdopt Connect SEMO serves 28 counties in Southeast Missouri.

The Sock & Undie Rundie is an organizational event also taking place in Independence and Springfield, Missouri, annually, Next year, the Poplar Bluff event will be May 16 at McLane Park.