30th-anniversary family run to raise money for local nonprofits

By Anna Hughes

Rotary International brings over 1.4 million people together inter-nationally to promote peace, charity, and good-will through service and efforts focused on positive change. In 1959, Hinsdaleans joined in their mission and established the Hinsdale Rotary Club to unite residents in the spirit of community and service. The diverse group of like-minded men and women meet weekly to carry out projects and events to raise money and live out their motto of “service above self.”

This year marks the 30th anniversary of one of their largest fundraising events: the Hinsdale Rotary Run Charity Classic. Members anticipate that over 1,000 runners will participate in the October 6 event; all proceeds will go straight back to the Rotary Club to share with local nonprofits in the area.

The club’s top beneficiaries include The Community House, District 181 Foundation, Hinsdale Hospital Foundation, Hanson Center/Ray Graham Association, and the Hinsdale Rotary Club Foundation. The significant donations that these organizations receive thanks to the Rotary Club are essential to ensuring they can provide the best support and services to the community.

Since 2018, the Hinsdale Rotary Club has been selecting one member of the group to represent them and their work as Grand Marshal of the run. This person represents their values of selfless commitment to service and a desire to improve their local community and the world as a whole. The 2024 Grand Marshal, Dr. Lanny F. Wilson, represents exactly that, making him the ideal choice for this year’s honor. Wilson was invited to be a board member of the club in 2020 within a year of becoming a member.

“I am honored beyond words,” Wilson said. “It’s hard to describe how thankful I am to be honored and to be given this opportunity, especially since I’m a fairly new member of the Rotary Club. But I admire this Rotary Club, I admire Rotary International, and to be selected to be the Grand Marshal was quite a privilege.”

Wilson has been a Hinsdale-area physician since 1979. In his over 40-year career in Obstetrics and Gynecology, he’s delivered over 6,000 babies. Recently, he’s been tasked with leading a renovation to Hinsdale Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, a large task supported by the Hinsdale Hospital Foundation. Because of the Rotary Club’s work with the hospital foundation, Dr. Wilson was a clear choice to serve as Grand Marshal, bringing additional awareness to the renovations.

“We set a goal of $5 million dollars and we’ve raised about $4.7 million of it. So we’re really close to achieving our goal,” Wilson said. “The Hinsdale Hospital Foundation is not a huge Foundation … but there are a lot of great people who want to do good things. And this neonatal intensive care unit or NICU campaign has been near and dear to my heart.”

The Rotary Run Charity Classic will take place on October 6, starting at 8:30 A.M. Participants can sign up for any and all of the six run/walk options. Families who sign up and race together can receive a discount. For more information on the schedule or to sign up or donate, visit
www.hinsdale.rotary6450.org.

The Hinsdale Rotary Run Charity Classic is a family event fit for all ages and athletic abilities.

A young Rotary Run participant shows off his medal in 2023.