KIWA Staff Photo – Barry Whitsell speaks with KIWA’s Skip Tanner
Sheldon, Iowa — Village Northwest Unlimited (VNU) hosted the 21st Annual Run, Walk, & Roll fundraiser on Saturday, June 6th, 2026.
Event organizers tell us the RWR had 573 participants this year. In the one-mile walk or roll, there were 337 participants, and 218 people participated in the 5K and 10K runs. There were also various participants who completed the event virtually.
They tell us their Run, Walk, & Roll is one of Village Northwest Unlimited’s annual fundraising events, bringing the community together in support of individuals with disabilities. The fundraiser provides an opportunity for people to gather on VNU’s campus, connect with one another, and celebrate the individuals who call the Village home.
Barry Whitsell, President and CEO of VNU says that it’s a way that they raise money to provide programs and services for the people they serve and give them the Purpose, Privacy, and Dignity that they deserve.
Whitsell says that a major part of the Run, Walk, & Roll’s success is the support of corporate sponsors. Key sponsors for this year’s event were: Premier Communications, DK Plastics, Sanford Sheldon, Iowa Information Media Group, ProActive Physical Therapy and Sports Rehab, Den Hartog Industries, Hy-Vee, Sanford Health, Prins Insurance, Northwest Décor & Furniture, American Investment & Trust, Poppema-Sikma Construction Co., and Dubak Electrical Group.
Results of the 5K:
Women’s Overall Winner: Kristin Lassen – Remsen, IA
Men’s Overall Winner: Cormick Logue – Erie, KS
Results of the 10K:
Women’s Overall Winner: Kienna Lassen – Remsen, IA
Men’s Overall Winner: Tyler Drenkow – Sheldon, IA
Final results and a complete list of sponsors are available here: https://villagenorthwest.org/events/run-walk-roll.
