Runners, walkers and leashed dogs will lace up at Wallace Lake in Berea on September 26 for OhioGuidestone's 5th biennial Promise Run, a fundraiser that pulled in more than $100,000 in 2024 and drew 442 participants. The 10k kicks off at 8 a.m., with the 5k and one-mile fun run following at 8:30 a.m., and organizers are hoping this year's turnout tops the last.
The race benefits OhioGuidestone, the Berea-based behavioral health nonprofit that traces its roots to 1864, when it was founded in the city as the German Methodist Orphan Asylum to care for children left parentless after the Civil War, according to OhioGuidestone. As reported by Cleveland.com, the Promise Run is designed to show community support and raise both awareness and funds for the organization's mission. Brant Russell, OhioGuidestone's president and CEO, said running or walking with the organization can help someone going through a hard time, the outlet noted.
Standard registration for the 1-mile, 5k and 10k runs costs $40, with an early-bird $5 discount available before September 1. Prices climb to $45 after August 31 at 11:59 p.m. EDT, per RunSignup. A virtual option is also available for $20, and race-day registration remains open through the day of the event. Sign-ups run through OhioGuidestone's own website.
What to Expect at Wallace Lake
Beyond the timed runs, the event includes live music, prizes and family-friendly activities. This year's lineup adds pre-race warm-up sessions hosted by Hope Yoga and C-Town Studio, a complimentary post-race smoothie, and concessions at the newly opened Wallace Lake Grille, per the same event listing. The course sits inside Mill Stream Run Reservation, the second-largest park in the Cleveland Metroparks system at more than 3,500 acres, according to Cleveland Metroparks.
A Nonprofit With Deep Local Roots
OhioGuidestone has grown far beyond its orphanage origins. The organization now serves roughly 26,000 individuals annually across Ohio through telehealth and regional facilities, offering outpatient mental health treatment, substance use recovery, foster care, job training and primary care, according to OhioGuidestone. With about 3,000 employees, it is the largest company headquartered in Berea, per Zippia.
In April, OhioGuidestone announced leadership changes, naming Holli Ritzenthaler as Chief Program Officer and Tiffany Banks as Vice President of Regional Operations to oversee statewide program growth, the organization said. The nonprofit also runs the Institute of Family and Community Impact, its internal research arm, which launched a digital store in early 2025 selling clinical training manuals and trauma-informed curricula, including models like CBT-Plus and Joyful Together, directly to wellness professionals.
Why the Crisis Response Work Matters Now
Money raised through events like the Promise Run helps support OhioGuidestone's broader crisis response network. The organization serves as a Mobile Response and Stabilization Services provider across 14 Ohio counties, dispatching mobile crisis-intervention teams within 60 minutes for youth 20 and under experiencing mental or behavioral distress, reachable statewide through 988.
That network has become increasingly critical in Cuyahoga County. Between September 2025 and February 2026, OhioGuidestone's crisis team conducted more than 400 youth crisis responses in the county alone, operating primarily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with a goal of reaching 24/7 coverage by 2028, Hoodline previously reported. That earlier coverage found local child welfare agencies leaning more heavily on OhioGuidestone's mobile teams as county hiring freezes strained staffing.
Registration and additional details for the September 26 event are available through OhioGuidestone's website, and the organization can be reached directly at 1-844-622-5584.
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