Tunnel to Towers highlights 4th of July events

Runners in the Tunnel to Towers 5K in Donnellson make the loop around the cemetery just north of Donnellson as part of the run Tuesday.

Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC

Holly Benda weeps after speaking to the Tunnel to Towers 5K run in Donnellson Tuesday morning. Benda's husband Ted, an Iowa State Trooper killed in line of duty in 2021, benefitted from the assistance programs of Tunnel to Towers.

Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC

Runners bow for a prayer before the start of the Tunnel to Towers 5K run in Donnellson Tuesday morning.

Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC

Emergency responders file out to the 5K run route in Donnellson Tuesday morning. The vehicles lined the run route on North Main Street.

Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC

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LEE COUNTY – Donnellson packed its streets with about 330 runners and more community members as part of its annual Tunnel to Towers event Tuesday.

The morning began with a pancake breakfast put on by the Donnellson Fire Department. At 7:30 a.m. a presentation recognizing the efforts of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation was shared with the runners and visitors.

The event was ushered in by Donnellson’s Julie Humes, who brought the event to Donnellson for the first time last year.

In just the first year, the event had more participants that any other Tunnel to Towers event in the state with about 250 runners.

This year the event registered 330 runners according to Donnellson Vision committee member Rebecca Schau.

“Last year we had 250 runners. That’s a significant increase in support and we had other agencies join us this year. It’s neat to see people out and getting involved.”

Schau said it was the first year that military personnel have joined in on the event.

Tunnel to Towers was created by the family of Stephen Siller, who was killed in the wake of Sept. 11 attacks in 2001.

A 501c3 foundation was created to provide assistance to emergency personnel and first responders.

Holly Benda, the widow of Iowa State Trooper Ted Benda, told those in attendance about how Tunnel to Towers paid off their family’s farm mortgage after her husband died in an auto accident in the line of duty in 2021.

“I will never forget sitting in a small hospital conference room and hearing the words, ‘His injuries will not be survivable,” Benda said.

“That is where my world stopped and all I could think about was my girls. How was I going to tell my girls?”

Benda said she was encouraged to fill out a form with Tunnel to Towers, but put it off. Eventually, after further encouragement from the Iowa State Troopers Association, she filled it out.

“In my mind all I could think about was this was in New York. They’re not going to carry about little me in Iowa on a farm.”

In November of 2021, Tunnel to Towers took over the Bendas' mortgage immediately. In July of 2022, as part of a 4^th of July celebration, the Bendas were informed their mortgage had been paid in full by Tunnel to Towers.

After the National Anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer, runners lined up and took off on the 3.1 mile run from downtown out to a turnaround to the north, through the cemetery and then back to the start/finish line.

Schau said Tunnel to Towers representative Jen McGurk was impressed with what Donnellson has accomplished in two years.

“She was very impressed with it. We quizzed her on what we could do differently and she commented on our different memorial exhibits and wanted us to draw more attention to those in the opening remarks, but she said it was wonderful to see all the local support from area first responders.”

Schau said the committee put up remembrances of all the fallen fighters on 9/11 as well as memorials to all first responders in Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri who have died in the line of duty in the past 10 years.

She said the group will absolutely keep the event going due to the success of the last two years.

"I think it was getting the word out. After last year, a lot of people didn’t know it was going on and they wanted to come and do it. This small community is real supportive of our emergency personnel," she said.

“We’re going to continue this as an annual thing and we’re excited to see it grow more."

Jason Humes, the husband of Julie Humes and MC for the event, said he will remain a part of the event for years to come.

“This year was a no-brainer and it was amazing,” he said.

First responder agencies participating include Donnellson/West Point Police Dept, Lee Co Sheriff Dept, LeeComm, Keokuk Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa State Patrol Honor Guard, Henry Co Sheriff Dept, Mt Pleasant Police Dept, Van Buren Co Sheriff Dept, Missouri State Patrol, 224^th Brigade Engineer Battalion, Donnellson Fire Dept, West Point Fire Dept, Montrose Fire Dept, Keokuk Fire Dept, Des Moines Township Fire Dept, Denmark Fire Dept, Farmington Fire Dept, Iowa Fertilizer Fire Dept., Lee County EMS