Unique Underground 5K & 10K 'Groundhog Run' Benefitting Children with Disabilities at Ability KC Returns this February for its 44th Run at Hunt Midwest SubTropolis

Kansas City, MO — Jan. 29, 2026 — The Ability KC Groundhog Run returns February 1^st at Hunt Midwest’s SubTropolis beginning at 8:00 AM Central Time. This unique, 100% underground event raises money for children with disabilities and those recovering from complex illnesses and injuries who receive services at Ability KC — a nationally recognized comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility and center of excellence in value-based care — that serves hundreds of thousands of individuals across multiple states. 

Since its inception in 1982, the annual Groundhog Run has raised more than $5.9 million for children receiving therapeutic and educational services at Ability KC’s Mary Shaw Branton Therapeutic Preschool. All proceeds from the Groundhog Run help Ability KC serve children with disabilities regardless of their family’s financial circumstances. Ability KC supports a high percentage of under-resourced families across its medical and educational therapeutic programs and workforce development services. 

Every year the fundraising event makes it possible for Ability KC to help children reach milestones critical to their success to prepare them for important life transitions, in the classroom and beyond.  

The thousands of participants supporting this event will comfortably make their way through the USATF Certified 5K and 10K course’s paved, brightly lit roadways of SubTropolis in the nation’s most unique race. Nestled beneath 150 feet of Missouri limestone along I-435, SubTropolis — the world’s largest underground business complex — offers runners an ideal respite from the intense winter cold with a year-round, climate-controlled, 65- to 68-degree environment. In addition to generously donating SubTropolis for the day, Hunt Midwest’s staff works more than 350 hours surrounding the race to prepare, host, and clean up after the Groundhog Run. The 2026 race will also include a fun Kids’ Zone and Kids’ Run in between the standard 5K and 10K races. This untimed fun run is for children ages 0-8, in distances ranging from 50 yards to 200 yards based on their age group.  

Meteorologist, Katie Horner, of KMBC 9 News, will emcee this year’s run in support of its KMBC 9 Cares For Kids’ initiative. Community participants, sponsored teams, families served, Ability KC’s expert therapists and educators and thousands of others from across the nation will fill SubTropolis to help children with disabilities and those recovering from serious illnesses or injuries.  

This year’s event Co-Chairs are Lindsey Roy and Aaron Eusterwiemann. In 2013, an unexpected boating accident changed the course of Lindsey and her family’s lives, resulting in the loss of her left leg. She turned to Ability KC, where she found not only expert rehabilitation services but also a compassionate team committed to helping individuals rebuild independence and confidence. Through years of partnership with Ability KC, including five years of serving on the Board of Directors, Lindsey gained a deep understanding of the organization’s impact on individuals and families navigating life after injury or disability. 

Lindsey and her husband have become passionate advocates for Ability KC’s mission, supporting events like the Groundhog Run, where participants of all abilities come together in a powerful celebration of determination and community. With 25 years at Hallmark, she is also proud to see her team’s creative contributions, especially the beloved “Gus the Groundhog” illustrations, serve as symbols of inclusion and the diverse stories represented at the event. 

As Groundhog Run Co-Chairs, Lindsey and her husband are honored to rally support for the children and families who are served through Ability KC’s transformative programs and services. They hope every participant, sponsor, and volunteer feels connected to the mission and inspired by the resilience at the heart of the Groundhog Run tradition.

About Groundhog Run

The Groundhog Run is one of Ability KC’s largest fundraising events and has achieved recognition for more than 5 consecutive years by The Independent as one of Kansas City’s Top 10 events. Groundhog Run was established in 1982 to support the provision of therapeutic and educational services for children with disabilities at Ability KC’s Mary Shaw Branton Therapeutic Preschool. This annual event provides critical support to ensure families have access to life-changing care that prepares their children for kindergarten and life beyond the classroom regardless of their family’s circumstances.

About Ability KC

For over 75 years, Ability KC’s legacy has been building brighter futures for children and adults with complex illnesses, injuries, and disabilities through its comprehensive medical, educational, and vocational services, making individuals and communities stronger through its person-centric approach. Ability KC supports a high level of acuity and complexity in conditions, from brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, stroke, and amputation, to rare conditions, helping infants to seniors achieve life-changing and impactful milestones. Serving hundreds of thousands of individuals and families across Missouri and Kansas, Ability KC is a critical bridge between healthcare and quality of life, helping individuals integrate into homes, schools, workplaces, and our communities.

Ability KC is a nationally recognized comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation and value-based care organization accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation (CARF), the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and is designated as a Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORF) through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Learn more at AbilityKC.org.

About Hunt Midwest

Hunt Midwest is a Kansas City-based, privately held real estate development company with six decades of expertise in industrial, self-storage, residential, multifamily, and senior living communities, with more than $3 billion of developed projects in multiple geographic markets. Hunt Midwest leverages its reputation, resources, and relationships to create successful real estate solutions.

Hunt Midwest is one of the pillars of the Lamar Hunt Family’s holdings, which include interests in real estate, sports/entertainment, energy/natural resources, and private equity. Other marquee brands include the Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bulls, FC Dallas, Hunt Southwest, and Trinity Hunt.

Learn more at HuntMidwest.com

Support and Impact

We’re immensely grateful for the generous sponsors and supporters whose contributions to the Groundhog Run have such a profound impact on the bright futures of the children receiving services at Ability KC’s Mary Shaw Branton Therapeutic Preschool. A heartfelt thank you goes out to the following Corporate and Individual sponsors for their exceptional donations of $5,000 and above for the 43rd annual Groundhog Run. For a full list of this year’s Sponsors, visit AbilityKC.org/groundhogrun.