Through The Years: The Donut Dash 5K
Rewind it back to 2019 – the WestSide Stride was total bliss. We regularly had between 75 and 100 people running or walking with us every week. (Yes, you read that right!). The buzz on Bridge Street was strong and our group was getting wilder by the week. In the winter months, we switched to monthly events because #winter. It might have been a few minutes into a run or a few sips into a beer… we can’t remember. The important thing is that Charles Zoul and Kevin Macintosh got to talking and the ultimate idea surfaced: donuts.
It didn’t take much more conversation before the Donut Dash 5K was born and we were planning our inaugural event for none other than Fat Tuesday 2019.
Our Donut Dash ideators, Charles and Kevin eating paczki.
The WestSide Stride & Swift Printing is all about connecting people to our community? In 2020, we decided it was time to level up and connect the fun run/walk to a cause. A stereotypical bad joke of cops and donuts clearly made sense, so we decided to raise funds for our local law enforcement’s foundation. (With our local enforcements blessing of course!) The Grand Rapids Police Foundation was established in 2016 to help fund and support GRPD programs designed to improve the quality of life of our residents and relations between law enforcement and community members that can’t be covered by the regular budget.
The final rendition of the Donut Dash 5K is simple: run (or walk) and then eat paczki along the way. Eat as many paczki as you can or want to eat. It’s the ultimate balance of work hard, eat hard.
At the 2020 Donut Dash 5K, we hosted over 50 walkers and runners and raised $175 for the Grand Rapids Police Foundation.
Take a look at how things have grown since then:
2021: We leveled up (again) and asked for donations of gently used coats for the homeless and youth in the area and collected over 1,100 items, including coats, hats, gloves, blankets and more! We also started selling limited edition shirts.
2022: We hosted over 40 runners and walkers and raised $235 for the Grand Rapids Police Foundation. Read our 2022 recap blog here!
2023: We raised $1,023 for the GRPD Foundation Here’s the 2023 Recap
2024: While this event is more about the fun vibes, this year we raised our highest amount to date: $2,000. 2024 Recap
2025: This was our record fundraising year thanks to Swift Printing’s 75th Anniversary company match, we wrote the check for $4000. 2025 Recap
GET INVOLVED IN 2026
Join us on Tuesday, February 17, at 6 p.m. (Fat Tuesday) for our annual Donut Dash 5K. All are welcome!
This fun run/walk is not timed. Full of fun and paczki. Although there is no entry fee, we do encourage you to purchase a limited edition t-shirt or make a donation for the cause and pre-register for the cause at
https://www.swiftprinting.com/westside-signup
We are thankful for our friends at Bridge Street Market who consistently bring the best paczki for us to snack on. Our afterparty will be hosted at BroadLeaf WestSide at 443 Bridge Street with a fun raffle.
Huge thanks to this years sponsors: Swift Printing, Bridge Street Market, Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., Last Mile Cafe, WYCE, Gazelle Sports, Roots & Perrin Brewery.
