BRILLION, Wis. – Today, AriensCo announced plans to host the first-of-its-kind community fun run and walk in the company’s hometown and global headquarters of Brillion on Saturday, Aug. 19. The inaugural Mike Ariens Run/Walk offers the choice of either a 5K or 10K that takes participants on the Mike Ariens Trail of Life, through AriensCo’s Gold-certified conservation property, downtown Brillion and to the finish line at Ariens Nordic Center. A kid’s run will also be held at the recently opened Nordic ski and biathlon complex.
The family friendly event was established to promote health, wellness and community, and to honor the legacy of Michael S. Ariens, the company’s former chairman and CEO. Ariens was chosen to be the occasion’s namesake because of his love of running, principles, and lasting community impact. The run/walk also memorializes Ariens with bucket hats for all participants to match Mike’s trademark look, and an ice cream social (his favorite treat) at the finish.
“Aside from being an avid runner into his seventies, dad had a great interest in the well-being of our employees, their families and our community,” says AriensCo Chairman and CEO Dan Ariens. “Those values were extremely important to him and have remained a central fixture of our company culture that we champion through our health and wellness programming.”
The Mike Ariens Run/Walk also hopes to attract residents throughout northeast Wisconsin and beyond to showcase the people, businesses and attractions that forge Brillion’s identity. AriensCo and the city share a goal of expanding the population from around 3,200 residents to 5,000 by 2026.
“As a smaller rural community, we don’t always get as much attention as the cities in the Fox Valley,” says Brillion Mayor Mike Smith. “Events like the Mike Ariens Run/Walk are great ways for people to visit, experience, and maybe even think about putting down roots in Brillion. We’re fortunate to have organizations like Ariens Company to support our growth initiative with action.”
The Mike Ariens Run/Walk welcomes runners of all ages and experience levels, as well as volunteers to help create a positive experience for all participants. Race details, registration and volunteer information, and a course map are available on the Events page on AriensNordic.com.
About AriensCo
Based in Brillion, Wisconsin, AriensCo is celebrating its 90th year as a privately owned manufacturer of outdoor power equipment for both consumer and commercial markets. Established in 1933, the company manufactures equipment under the Ariens®, Gravely®, RapidCare, Countax®, Westwood® and AS-Motor® brand names. It also established AriensCo Hospitality in 2020 with two luxury event venues, Stone Prairie and Round Lake Farms. It opened Ariens Nordic Center December 2022. These venues are part of the mission to create reasons to visit the Brillion community. Find us on the web: ariensco.com and AriensCo.com/rapidcare. Join the team at ariensco.com/careers. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Like us on Facebook. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
07.11.23