For the last few years, a small group of us who had been running together all year round toyed with the idea of giving our group a name. We had already developed an unbreakable bond and thought it would be cool to have our own identity. We insisted on being different than traditional running clubs in that we did not want to charge membership fees for people to run with us. This past August we decided to finally act on our idea.
Our group primarily runs at Busse Woods in Elk Grove Village so we wanted to create something unique that would incorporate this into our name. After exploring options, we voted on Busse Woods Running Club (BWRC) which was the winner by a landslide. After we decided on a name, we started thinking that we should also have a logo to create our “brand”. Busse Woods is well known for its unique elk pasture and from there our logo was born! Flash forward to February and we’re looking into “adopting” an elk…how cool is that??
Over the course of six months, and during the winter months I might add, the group grew tremendously. Runners from all walks of life, various distances and paces began to show up for our Saturday or Sunday weekend runs. Our Facebook group grew from 20 people to over 250 in no time.
It is the welcoming atmosphere and amazing core culture already instilled in this group that makes
anyone and everyone new to the group feel so welcome. We are about establishing and building upon a community of people who want to enjoy life, meet new people who share a common interest, or perhaps grow in some capacity when it comes to running and fitness. Regardless of the end goal, BWRC provides an inclusive atmosphere for all.
We grew so rapidly that we needed to create a structure to protect our culture and club. Quickly and
proudly we incorporated our group as a non for profit organization in the State of IL and gained 501C(3) tax exemption as a charter member of Road Runners Club of America. Although we will always remain a no membership fee club, it does cost money to keep our club active, pay for insurance, to hold events, etc. We rely on fundraisers, donations, and sponsorships to pay those expenses.
We host weekly group runs, fun runs, social gatherings, and participate in several community and
special events throughout the year. Continuing to grow and impacting our community in a positive way are just a couple of the BWRC goals.