Jared was ten years old when he passed away on October 5, 1998 after a long courageous battle with leukemia. Jayne, Jared’s mom, passed away on December 17, 2006 after a difficult fight with Inflammatory Breast Cancer. We miss them both deeply.
This event is committed to remembering Jared and Jayne and all they both stood for and what is important in life…love, faith, strength and courage. We will honor their lives as we come together to celebrate the time we had them on this earth. We hope you will join us.
Remembering Jared
Jared lived, played and attended school in Olathe. The 5K (3.1 mile) certified course will wind through the residential areas Jared knew best. The race will start and finish at the school Jared attended, Black Bob Elementary School. Jared had a profound impact on this school and his classmates. You can still feel his presence when you see his framed photo and art work in the school lobby, inscribed with the words, “Forever in our hearts, Always a Black Bob student“.
“I got to know Jared when we played t-ball in the backyard of his home after he and his family returned from a Dream Factory trip to Florida. He joined me on the field at Arrowhead Stadium for a Chiefs game. He was always happy and genuinely positive. I enjoyed being with him. Jared’s family established the Pumpkin Run to honor his memory and to help others. I am so pleased his family asked me to be a part of the annual run.” – Larry Moore, Channel 9 News Anchor and Honorary Chair
The course will take you past Jared’s home, a place he filled with love and laughter. Jared’s favorite time of year was fall. He loved to visit the pumpkin patch where he would try to pick out the biggest pumpkin in the patch. As you run or walk the course, watch for a pumpkin patch at Jared’s house.
Remembering Jayne
Because of the Pumpkin Run, Jayne will probably always be best remembered as Jared, Meghan and John’s mom but to the countless lives she has touched she will be remembered as a faithful friend, compassionate listener, lover of children, dedicated mother, and a caring, loving person. There simply are not enough beautiful words to describe Jayne or the spirit she embodied. We are all going to miss Jayne profoundly and deeply – her presence is missed in our lives and her absence will certainly be felt at each year’s race.
Jayne, as remembered by a friend. “Jayne Coones was a great woman, but she was not great because she wielded power, accumulated wealth, held public office, or authored books. A marble monument will never be erected in the town square in her honor, and a bronze plaque bearing her name will never be placed on the wall of any great public building. They would both be inadequate.
Jayne was great because she was a servant. She has served her husband by loving him faithfully. She has served her children by loving them playfully. She has served the Lord by doing His work. She has served her family and her friends by her example of undying faith, unwaivering courage, and intercessory prayer. She has served everyone who has known her through kind words, an outstretched hand, refreshing joy, and laughter.”
Event Information
The Pumpkin Run will be 10/11/2025 5K Run/Walk will start at 8:00 AM following a Tot Trot at approximately 9:15 and will conclude with an awards ceremony in the gym at approximately 9:30 AM.
In addition to the 5K Run/Walk, there will be a Tot Trot / Run for the Pumpkins for children ages 1 to 5, a costume collection for kids, a Bone Marrow Drive and Awards.
Read more on our Race Day Schedule page.
YES! Volunteers are needed before, during and after the race. To register as a volunteer and to see all available opportunities, please check our
Volunteer
page.
All registered participants will receive an official Pumpkin Run t-shirt. The top three overall finishers and top three per age/gender finshers will receive a trophy.
Read about our Awards Ceremony here to learn more.
Strollers are not only allowed they are welcome! We encourage full-family participation, even your little ones! We do ask that strollers line up with the walkers behind the runners in the 2nd wave to avoid accidents.
Children in strollers are not required to be registered for the race, but are welcome to participate in our Tot Trot.
Pets are not allowed in the Pumpkin Run. Service animals are permitted to assist participants.
No, due to the short length of the race, we do not provide a gear drop.
Event Registration
You can register online, by printing our registration form and mailing it to us or in person during Packet Pickup. Get full details and links on our
Ways to Register
page.
Schools should have each participant fill-out and return to the school a School Registration Form so all students can be registered together. Read additional details on our
Register
page.
The easiest way to ensure all members of your club are registered is to have each participant fill-out and return to YOU the School Registration Form. These registration forms should be returned to you no later than September 19 so you can then turn in all money and forms together to the Pumpkin Run no later than September 24.
Registration costs various by type and when you register. View the full registration costs on our
Ways to Register
page.
Transfer of registrations is not allowed. Please be sure each registered person wears their assigned bib number.
We do not refund registrations as all money raised is donated to our Beneficiaries. If you are unable to run, please consider your entry fee a donation to the cause.
Fundraising
The race has several beneficiaries; specifically organizations involved in leukemia & lymphoma research and education.
Beneficiaries include: Children’s Mercy Cancer Center, The Dream Factory, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Heart of America Bone Marrow Donor Registry, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Solace House, and the Jared Coones Memorial Foundation.
You can read more about these organizations on our
Beneficiaries
page.
YES! Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Please visit our
Become a Sponsor
page for full details.
Yes! Please use the DONATE button on the top-right side of any page on this site, or make a donation on the donation link.
Packet Pickup
Packet pickup will be at Black Bob Elementary School at the following times:
Thu, Oct. 09: 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Fri, Oct. 10: 12:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Sat, Oct 11: 6:00 AM – 7:45 AM (Race Day)
Please note that if you are part of a School Running Club, packets will be delivered to the school you are registered with.
Yes, you can pick up someone else’s packet or they can pick up yours if need be. Please know something specific about the people for whom you are picking up, such as their age/birthdate, in case there are multiple people with the same name.
All packets for running club members will be delivered to the running club’s sponsor school. Packets shold be distributed by / picked up from your club contact.
Parking & Transportation
Two area organizations have offered their parking lots for participant usage: Frontier Trail Junior High School and Olathe South High School. Read our
Directions and Parking
page for complete details.
YES! We will be running shuttle buses from the Olathe South High School and Frontier Trail parking lots beginning at 6:15 AM. The last shuttle bus will leave from the lots at 7:30 AM.
There will be one pickup location for shuttles back to the lots located at the northwest corner of the school. Shuttle returns will be begin at 9:30 AM.
The Pumpkin Run travels through residential neighborhoods near Black Bob Elementary School, where Jared Coones attended as a student. The course will take you past the home where the Coones family once lived. The route is 5 kilometers or 3.1 miles. Entire elevation is only 51 feet. You can view the full course layout, elevation and additional details on our
Race Info
page.
Yes, there are two water stations along the route. Also, water will be available at the end of the route. Food and drinks will be in the tent east of the gym.
Volunteers will be placed along the route who can help with medical issues. First aid will be available in the school.
All participants must be off the route by 9:30 am.
We will time anyone who has registered for the race and who wears their race bib, including all students from running clubs. Timing is automatic as the “chip” is part of your race bib.
Executive Planning Committee
This dedicated group honors Jared & Jayne by donating their time, talent, and resources - ensuring that 100% of the money raised after race expenses is donated to the charities we support.
Carol Brewer - Jared's Aunt
Jim Burt
Laura Campbell
Meghan Cook - Jared's Sister
Stephen Cook
Dr. Barry Cook
John Coones - Jared's Brother
Tom Coones - Jared's Dad
Morghan Fitzsimons
Owen & Mary Geisz
Denise Klepac
Cathy Kratzberg
Sam Miceli - Race Director Emeritus
Kathy McMullin
Stephen Oskvig - Jared's Cousin & Race Director
Jan Popek
Brandon & Katie Unruh
Steve White
Susan Slater
Gene Slater
Honorary Chair
Joel Nichols serves as our honorary chair and master of ceremonies.
