29 Oct Celebrating 30 Years of Keeping Families Together: Long-Time Friends of the House Barbara and Wayne Kursh
The House that Love Built
Barbara Brown and Wayne Kursh have been involved with the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware from the very beginning. Their story began over 30 years ago with the inception of We Care in Delaware and the House’s first 5K race fundraiser.
In 1986, Barb joined We Care in Delaware, a group made up of the first group of individuals who had a vision to build a Ronald McDonald House in Delaware. As the committee sought to create a 5K event to raise money to build the House, Barb reached out to a local business owner- Wayne Kursh of Marathon Sports- for advice about how to put together a race event.
They worked together with We Care in Delaware to plan the inaugural race event and the first Ronald McDonald House of Delaware 5K successfully launched in June of 1990, raising $3,500. Now, 31 years later, the event lives on and has expanded to include races in Wilmington, Lewes, and most recently- virtually. Combined, the races typically raise over $100,000 annually to benefit families staying at the House.
Shortly after they connected through planning the first RMHDE 5K, Barb and Wayne realized they were a perfect match. They got married on November 2, 1991… in the living room at the Ronald McDonald House! The small ceremony was officiated by a friend and attended by family.
After they were married, they continued to support the House by volunteering during the dinner shift, where they met many guest families. They remember these times giving back to the House with great joy. Wayne especially remembers a family with a young son named Michael. Michael, who did not have arms, was one of the happiest children, says Wayne, and always had a smile on his face. He remembers sharing many laughs together with Michael and his family.
For 14 years, Wayne owned and operated sporting retail stores and managed many race events- 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons- before shifting his focus to concentrate on his event Management Company- Marathon Sports Events Management. Marathon Sports Events Management is now called Races2Run and is operated by Barb and Wayne together. Races2Run manages 60-100 races per year and has always supported the RMHDE races enthusiastically.
Barb and Wayne have made a huge impact on the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware and say “we truly believe in the mission of the House and want to support the families now and in the future.” Together, they have demonstrated this commitment by planning a legacy gift to the House.
We thank Barbara and Wayne for sharing their story to help us celebrate our 30th Anniversary and for all of their dedication over our 30-year history.