They arrived before the sun creased a clear sky above runway 10/28 at Tampa International Airport.
Hundreds of volunteers, dozens of security personnel and first responders, one fastidious canine and 2,000 runners all awaited the dawning of what promised to be an inspiring morning. TPA’s 5K On The Runway drew them all to the site, and the group included 15 members of Leadership Tampa Bay’s Class of 2025. They came not just for the event’s fun or the chance to break a sweat on one of the nation’s most unique road-racing courses.
They came to take care of their neighbors.
Committed To Community
The race benefits United Way Suncoast, and no one understands the impact of that organization’s mission work more than UWS Vice President of Philanthropy and LTB ‘25 class member Kristin Piccolo. She joined her fellow classmates in sporting T-shirts they specifically designed for the race. Each said “25 to Life,” because the Class of ’25 is committed to serving the community for life.
So, too, is United Way Suncoast.
The 5K On The Runway, held on April 12, proved to be just the latest chapter in a storied United Way history that traces back to the formation of the Tampa Welfare League in 1924. Since then, United Way Suncoast has evolved from volunteers collecting donations on horseback to a force for good serving hundreds of thousands in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto counties. Susan Ivins and Hassan Lewis shared such stories as they manned the UWS table, while University of Tampa intern Alexi Jones delivered the sights and sounds on our social media platforms.
Uniting for United Way
In so many ways, the 5K – now in its 12th year – proved to be the perfect backdrop for United Way’s mission work. So many united to revel in the event’s aura of love and community, including sponsors like Waypointe TPA, Air Culinaire, HCC, MixOnWheels and Sheltair. Airlines joined in to offer travel packages in a special raffle: AeroMexico, Delta, Virgin Atlantic, Avelo, Breeze, Cayman Airways, jetBlue, porter, Silver, Southwest and United.
Michael Stephens capped off his first week as TPA’s new CEO by celebrating each and every participant and volunteer. Siblings like grade schoolers Linus and Leah Teufel supported each other through the 3.1 mile trek. Camaraderie brought co workers together like United Way Suncoast’s very own Michele Brown, Kimberly Miller, Julia Raether and Ja’Lezza Clark.
They all ran for joy, ran for health and ran for fun. Whether they realize it or not, they also ran for every parent longing to see their preschoolers arrive on the first day of kindergarten ready to learn. They ran for every mom and dad praying their middle school and high school students successfully navigate adolescence. They ran for every household striving to rise above living paycheck to paycheck. They ran for folks still recovering from Hurricanes Milton and Helene. They ran for all the nonprofits bolstering that recovery.
One race helped so many in life’s race. That’s why we always say, United We Rise, United We Win.
