After 23 years, Joyce Banish hasn’t grown tired of watching people run in circles.
The vice president of marketing at the MSU Federal Credit Union loves this year’s Dinosaur Dash 5K just as much as the very first one.
Dino Dash raises funds for MSU Museum
Eaton Rapids resident Jonathan Foot checks the race results after finishing the 5K Dino Dash race held Sunday morning at the MSU Museum. Dino Dash is an annual road race to support the MSU Museum’s educational program. Foot finished 18th.
Banish joined with thousands of others Sunday at the MSU Museum for the MSU Federal Credit Union Dinosaur Dash.
“It’s been fun every year,” she said. “I’ve seen young children grow up and bring their children. I’ve also seen people start running this race in their thirties and are now in their fifties.”
All proceeds from the event go to the MSU Museum. Thanks to runners and dino-enthusiasts alike, the museum has obtained a mount for its Tyrannosaurus Rex skull, as well as cabinetry and material to help preserve the collection. This year, about $25,000 is expected to be raised from the event, MSU Museum communications director Lora Helou said. Race entry fees vary from $10 to $30 per participant.
Although the museum earns some extra money, the event has prospered because of more than just the money, Helou said.
“It helps bring cash in, and make some new friends,” said Helou, who earned her master’s degree at MSU. “With the family and running, it’s a good infusion.”
Since the beginning, Banish has seen an increase in activities for those not running the race.
“They’ve added more games for the kids, and added a disc jockey, which really adds to the feel,” Banish said.
The competitive 5K run/walk wasn’t the only draw for participants. Two special runs for the youth crowd included a “Museum Mile” and a mini-dash for children 12 years old and younger. These events serve as a reason for parents to bring their children to the museum, Banish said.
Although Helou doesn’t compete in the race, she does clip on a ChampionChip to record how much she walks around during the event. After a couple hours, she was shocked to see that she’d clocked in three miles just by “pacing around.”
“It’s such a great atmosphere here,” she said. “Instead of tailgating, I call this ‘shoehorning.’”
About 200 volunteers helped to keep the run organized. Mathematics and secondary education junior Lindsey Konzman, an MSU Museum employee, managed the volunteers. She said finding so many volunteers was a bit of a challenge.
“The big thing for me was if they were all going to show up,” she said.
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Lucky for Konzman, most of them did.
“It’s really cool to just see all these people out on campus,” she said. “It’s just cool to have everybody here.”
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