Annual 'Bird Run' in Cerro Gordo Soars to Success, Raising Tens...

In the small community of Cerro Gordo, Illinois, a cherished event has been at the core of village life for over a decade, embodying the spirit of neighborly care and support.

Despite having a population of only 1,500, the village manages to gather tens of thousands of dollars annually through this much-anticipated occasion.

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“The event keeps growing each year because once people experience it, they can’t wait to return for more,” explained Kelley Morrison, the village clerk of Cerro Gordo.

“We pick a family who is battling, maybe cancer, or has a child in the NICU,” Morrison said.

She continued, “It’s on golf carts, and now it’s grown to UTVs and ATVs.”

They travel all throughout town, starting at the American Legion, making their way to the Piatt County fairgrounds, and then families host stops at their houses.

“Every stop has a fundraiser, and so people donate money for 50/50 raffles, or they may have a game, or whatever fundraiser they’re doing at that stop, and all that money goes back to the family,” Morrison said.

The fun equals funds.

“We’ve raised anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000 a year,” Morrison shared.

For her, this event brings a lot of joy while carrying the weight of heartbreak.

“The very first year, it was for my husband who had cancer, and he passed away right before the very first one,” Morrison said.

Each year, the run keeps his name alive.

“So, my husband, his name was Brad, but his nickname was ‘Bird.’ So, they decided that very first year that it was going to be the ‘Bird Run,’ and now we’re in the 12th year,” Morrison said.

She has done it every year since, and so has Cerro Gordo native, Rick Chenoweth.

“We’ve done the Bird Run ever since it started back probably 12 years ago,” Chenoweth said.

He said that he’s been on the giving side every year, but never did he imagine to be on the receiving end.

“This year, it’s for my wife. She’s got lymphoma. We just got started [with treatment] probably a month ago. It’s going to take us eight months to a year to get through all of it,” he said.

While the medical treatment will heal her physically, the community’s support is healing her everywhere else.

“It means a lot. I mean, she’s had the whole community behind her, and that means quite a bit,” Chenoweth said.

When asked how this event encapsulates the heart of Cerro Gordo, their answers were clear.

“Everybody in this town is giving, always looking out for each other and trying to see who we can help next. That’s what makes Cerro Gordo unique,” Morrison said.

This year’s Bird Run is on Aug. 1. It costs $10 to do it, and at the end of the run there’s a meal for donation and an auction. Sign-ups open the morning of at 10 a.m.

“The people here, we’re a family. We’re a big family. Everybody knows everybody. Everybody’s right there to help you when you need help,” Chenowith added. “That’s this whole town, and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”

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Annual ‘Bird Run’ in Cerro Gordo Soars to Success, Raising Tens of Thousands in a Small Town of 1,500

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