Salem Mud Run will remember Pearson Franklin

SALEM — The tradition of affordable family fun continues as Kurt and Emily Schinstock prepare for the ninth annual Salem Mud Run, although, this time they will honor a family friend and longtime mud run volunteer that tragically lost his life last October.

According to the Schinstocks, the Salem Mud Run, which attracts crowds of 500-700 people, is only made possible by a small group of family and friends that come together in preparation and execution of the event.

“We run it with just our moms, my dad, and then a couple of friends,” Emily said. “Maybe 15-20 people help.”

Emily says the whole event sort of just began on a whim.

“I used to do a lot of mud runs,” Kurt said.

Kurt realized that there were not very many mud runs close by, so, even before he and Emily were married, he asked her to start this adventure with him, and she readily agreed.

With their crew of family and friends, they now come together months ahead of time every year to begin distributing information, organizing, and preparing the pit.

A couple weeks ahead of time Kurt, along with faithful friends, will begin to prepare the pit by soaking it with over 30,000 gallons water donated by Chem Gro.

When the event starts, Emily, Kurt, and their crew will register drivers from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., call them for their run times, keep records, pull stuck vehicles from the pit, and hand out placements all while Emily’s mom announces the event.

This year, however, the absence of one consistent crew member will be abundantly clear as the Schinstocks chose to work with their friend Tom and Julia Franklin to honor their late son Pearson with the event.

Beginning at just 11 years old, right alongside his parents, Pearson always helped make the event a success.

“We feel very privileged by this,” Pearson’s dad Tom said. “He has been a part of running and setting up this event every year it existed. He was always helping out in the mud pit, checking in trucks, whatever, he was always enthusiastic.”

Pearson spent a lot of time not only helping with the mud run, but he would spend a lot of time with his dad working on their friends’ trucks for the event, too.

“He helped us from day one,” Kurt said. “He was the kid that jumped in and hooked the trucks that got stuck.”

“When he was litter he would jump right in that mud,” Tom remembered.

Unbeknownst to anyone, last year was the last time Pearson would help with the Salem Mud Run.

Only one month later Pearson died due to injuries suffered when he was struck by a car as he did work on the Great River Bridge in Burlington.

So, to honor Pearson, the Schinstocks will donate proceeds from this year’s event to Construction Angels. This organization provides immediate financial assistance and grief counseling to families that lose a construction worker due to a fatality on a job site.

Construction Angels also provide construction scholarships to surviving children of fallen workers.

Additionally, Pearson will be honored with the over $3000 in donated cash payouts for mud run winners.

“This is in memory of him for this year,” Emily said. “So, this year we're going to have payouts. We usually just have trophies for when people win, but this year we got donations for payouts to winners in honor of him.”

Return mud run vendor Just Dirty Racewear also will offer a special shirt in memory of Pearson.

For the Schinstocks, the mud run has always been about family and friends whether they participate in the run, volunteer to make it happen, or they just come to watch.

They welcome everyone to come participate or watch the mud run Saturday, Aug. 19 with registration from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and the event starting at 2 p.m. at Hartley Park in Salem.

Admission is only $5 and kids 10 and under are free.

“We want it to be affordable, family fun,” Emily explained. “It is just a fun Saturday afternoon.”

The mud run will feature nine classes including power wheels, ATVs/side by sides, street legal 2-wheel drive, an open class, and trucks classes divided by tire size.

“Anyone can participate as long as they meet safety requirements and sign a waiver,” Kurt said.

For more details and rules for participation visit Salem Mud Run’s Facebook page.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com