The Running Man

the

man

by DOUG HENSLEY

As the old saying goes, no one can do everything, but everyone can do something.

That’s precisely the approach Rich Stein took recently as United stores throughout the Amarillo area once again came together to help feed the hungry. Stores each year collect food and donations in support of the High Plains Food Bank, which literally touches the lives of thousands of people throughout the Panhandle.

As the fundraising effort began to take shape, Stein, who is a talent relations manager for #526 (Market Street, Amarillo), told Matt Edwards, the store director and one of the organizers for the drive, that he would run one mile for every thousand dollars raised.

And he would do it in a single weekend.

“I was working as a produce manager one day a long time ago when a gentleman came in and said he needed to buy $200 worth of potatoes,” Rich said. “It caught me off guard. Then he shared his story with me. He told me he used to be homeless, and a shelter helped him get back on his feet so whenever he had extra money, he would buy potatoes to help feed others who might be in his situation.”

Feeding the hungry has been a personal passion for Rich ever since. Meanwhile, running is a pursuit he took up as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in 2020. The food drive eventually raised approximately $73,000, giving Rich a great opportunity to blend the two passions while thanking store teams for their support of the local food bank.

The way things worked out, it was a hot June weekend when he began the 73-mile trek. Rich logged some 39 miles Saturday and surpassed the goal the next day.

“The first day the goal was to end up at the Canyon store, and I ended up a little short,” he recalled. “I needed time to recover for the second day. I just remember it was super-hot, and I took a little break to get out of the sun. I looked and the temperature was 101, and it was hotter with the heat coming off the road.”

Rich started at Market Street before running a route that took him to every store location in Amarillo. He also paid a visit to the food bank and the Canyon store, taking pictures all along the way.

“It was a really cool experience, running to all those stores,” he said. “I thought it would be a cool way to stop in the stores, say hi and thank them for raising money.”

Rich said he’s already thinking about and looking forward to what the next time might look like. This isn’t the first time Rich has run an extraordinary number of miles in support of a charity. In 2021, he ran 160 miles in a six day timeframe to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis, a disease he was diagnosed with several years ago.

“I’ve talked to Matt, and the hope is maybe raising $100,000 this year, so we’re having conversations about what that might look like if I do the mileage thing again.”