Donnellson T2T event closing in on 500

DONNELLSON – The 5th year of the Donnellson Tunnel to Towers event is shaping up to be the biggest ever. And there’s not a better time to be bigger than the country’s 250th birthday.
Julie Humes, the Volunteer Race Director for the event, said this year’s 4th of July run has 475 registered participants as of Wednesday and she believes they’ll be at their goal of 500 by the morning of the 4th.
Donnellson Fire & Rescue will be hosting the annual 4th of July breakfast with pancakes and breakfast burritos and a National Honor Guard starting at 7:30 a.m. Holly Benda, whose husband was a trooper killed in a pursuit, will be speaking prior to the start of the run. Benda spoke in 2024 about how Tunnel to Towers’ philanthropic work helped put her family on a better foundation by paying off their mortgage after the loss of her husband. The couple had two young daughters at the time and Humes said she called and wanted to speak at the fifth event to show her daughters how important the event has become.
“She reached out to one of our state troopers that helps us orchestrate all of this and she said she wanted her daughters to know how big this event is,” Humes said.
“So she is bringing her daughters this year with her because last time they were littles and were not present.”
Last year was the biggest event with just over 300 runners. Humes said with this year being the 250th they were shooting for 500 people and she said she was excited about the numbers they were seeing.
“It's pretty mind blowing right now actually because last year our final number was, like, 320,” she said.

“And it's not everybody just from Donnellson. There's a good amount of people that are coming from, like, North Liberty. We have a huge turnout from Mount Pleasant and we I think we have a family coming who’s from Miami, Florida that's registered. There are people from Utah and a guy from Texas, so there’s people coming from all over the country.”
Humes said the Donnellson event is one of 88 around the nation and it’s quickly becoming one of the largest runs in the system. She said the growth is around people realizing what Tunnel to Towers does and how it impacts people across the country.
“I think the event itself is building. I think people are actually coming to realize what Tunnel to Towers stands for and what they actually do for people. They have so many different programs right now and it's not just fallen firefighters and police and EMS.  They have the smart homes that they are building for soldiers that were hurt overseas or, you know, in the line of duty.
This year’s event also is featuring challenge coins. Humes said first responders know about challenge coins that they carry with them. But many people don’t know what that culture is about, so this year they are able to get coins for participants.
“When you register, you get a coin and a lot of people don't understand what challenge coins are,” Humes said. “they are pretty much based from the military community and 1st responders. They represent, you know, the sacrifice and honor – the brotherhood - so a lot of people at a lot of facilities hand out challenge coins and it's something that you're supposed to carry with you and remind you of your purpose.”
First responders from around the region will be present to run in the event and emergency vehicles will be lining the run route that runs north on Main Street out of Donnellson up to the cemetery where American flags will be flying, and then back to Main Street. The city’s annual 4th of July parade will kick off at 11 a.m.
Those wanting more information or to register for the event can visit the website at https://t2t.org/event/2026-tunnel-to-towers-5k-run-walk-donnellson/.