Will You Go the Extra Mile for Charity?

Participants from the Miles for Manufacturing 5k in 2018.
Photo Credit: Oscar & Associates

IMTS 2022 marks both a return to the convention floor for many, as well as the eighth year of the Miles For Manufacturing 5K. Beginning in 2012 as some impromptu fun for a group of friends spearheaded by Mark DiFranco, who is now a publisher with GIE Media, the 5K was formalized in 2014 as a charity event. The number of participants has grown since then, going from around 200 attendees running and walking the course to 600+ in 2018. The IMTS 5K is $35 to register while the One-Mile Walk is $25. Every cent made goes to charity.

Thanks to Peter Eelman, the CXO at AMT, the cost of the event is entirely absorbed by IMTS, enabling all proceeds raised from registration fees to go directly to funding STEM programs in schools across the nation. Greg Jones, the vice president of AMT’s SmartForce, is tasked with the distribution of the money raised.

“In past years, we have donated cash where it’s needed, 3D printers for Chicago Public Schools STEM programs and Bionics4Education Robotics kits produced by our partner, Festo. This year, we asked schools to apply for cash to fund specific needs, such as technology for their classrooms or to help with building their First robots, ensuring students could compete locally, in their state or region and ultimately in national robotics competitions,” says Jones, when asked about past M4M donations. “As always, proceeds from the Miles For Manufacturing 5K event allow us to ensure that students, especially in underserved, underrepresented communities like Chicago can continue to explore their passions in STEM and robotics.”

Attendees of IMTS can register for the Miles For Manufacturing events online (via RacePenguin or at www.imts.com/show/M4M) or in person on race day (Wednesday, Sept. 14, 7:00 a.m.).