Honors Charlotte Richardson and Judy Heller with induction into Running & Walking Hall of Fame.
From press release: Foot Traffic, a local running and walking retail store, will unveil a life-size chainsaw carving of renowned runner, Kara Goucher, on Saturday, June 13th during the opening of their fourth Portland-area location in Cedar Mill. The unveiling is part of a broader celebration of women’s running and it’s transformation over the last 25 years. Foot Traffic will also induct two local women, Charlotte Richardson and Judy Heller, into it’s new Hall of Fame exhibit.
From 1990 to 2015, women’s running has exploded from a paltry 25% event participation level, to nearly 60% currently with over 10.8 million finishers. While commemorating the opening of it’s fourth Portland-area store, Foot Traffic wanted to use the opportunity to shine light on the significance of women’s running.
“Some of our events have over 70% female participation!” remarked co-owner, Sean Rivers. “With three daughters and stores and races full of female runners and walkers, it struck me how awesome and rare this is for a sport to transform like this in just 25 years.“
Chainsaw carving completed by a local artist, David Hillesland of Oregon Chainsaw Sculptures www.oregonchainsawsculptures.com
LOCATION of Foot Traffic West:
13306 NW Cornell Rd. 97229
Saturday Schedule:
8am: Free group run/walk
9am-9:30am: Refreshments & celebration
9:30am: Women’s Hall of Fame ceremony, including recognition of all of the nominees.
10:00am: Unveiling of commemorative chainsaw carving of Kara Goucher!
10:15am-noon: Free snacks, local beer, and raffle!
For more information or to arrange a media presence, please contact:
David Sparks
Hawthorne Media Group
info@hawthornemediagroup.com
503.267.2926
A little (fun) info about Foot Traffic:
· Foot Traffic’s first store was first opened in the spring of 2001 in NE Portland.
· With the new Cedar Mill store, Foot Traffic now has 4 stores, including: NE Portland at 41st & Fremont, Downtown Portland at SW 3rd and Taylor, and Sellwood on SE 13th and Malden.
· Foot Traffic features an artistic installation in all of our stores, including a 10 foot, one-ton chainsaw carving of Sasquatch in Sellwood, a life-size chainsaw carving of Steve Prefontaine in our Downtown store, and a custom built, fully-operational rickshaw (the running kind!) that looks like a Roman chariot and has a built in beer tap and bar off the back.
· Foot Traffic also features a hidden beer tap in each store’s shoe displays. Each store features a sponsored micro-brewery, including Lompoc, Breakside, New Belgium, Fort George, and Deschutes (and soon to be more!). Beer is offered free to of-age participants at all of our free weekly group runs and walks, as well as at key special events (and staff meetings).
· Foot Traffic employees about 20 full and part time employees, offers medical benefits, retirement benefits, paid sick leave, and beer benefits.
· Foot Traffic is the only local running store to offer low-to-zero-cost All-comer track and cross-country meets for all ages through the spring, summer, and fall. We also offer low-to-zero-cost youth track and cross country clubs in the spring and fall. Our commitment is to expanding access to the sport, no matter the time and cost.
· Foot Traffic’s shoe walls are made out of reclaimed 2×4’s from the Rebuilding Center. Don’t get a splinter!
· Foot Traffic donates just under $100,000 each and every YEAR to the local community through our races and donations to charities and schools. We love doing it! Some of our main beneficiaries past and current include: Harper’s Playground, Sauvie Island Fire Department and the Sauvie Island community at-large, The Freshwater Trust, The Fanconi Anemia Research Foundation, St. Vincent de Paul of Portland, and a ton of local schools!
• Foot Traffic is the primary local sponsor for a fantastic non-profit, Girls on the Run- Portland (nearly 600 girls strong and growing rapidly). http://www.girlsontherunpdx.org
· Foot Traffic created the “Run Oregon” logo 8 years ago when they decided they needed something to put on old shirts that didn’t sell. Now it’s one of the most popular apparel pieces in our stores. Go figure.
· Co-owner and COO of Foot Traffic, Sean Rivers, is 35 years old, comes from a family with four older sisters, has 2 daughters (with a third on the way), two girl dogs, and three female chickens…also known as hens (Pinky, Stoli-bird, and Sylvie). Needless to say, he’s got a lot of women to chase down (and run away from!).
· Co-owner, David Pietka got his first blue ribbon in fifth grade in the long jump, at an all-comer meet very similar to the ones we now host, and was hooked on the sport from that point forward. He was a stand-out jumper at South Eugene High School and jumped 6’5″ in the high jump and 23′ 7 1/2″ (don’t forget the half inch!) in the long jump.
