On Saturday, October 4, 2025, MICC hosted the 8th Annual Independence 5K Run/1-Mile Walk! Participants, families, friends, staff, and supporters arrived on this beautiful fall morning at Donaldson Park in Richfield to lace up their sneakers, hit the pavement, and most importantly gather together as a community to support autistic and neurodivergent adults. We had 284 attendees, 46 volunteers, and raised over $14,600 for MICC!
While race attendees waited for the festivities to begin, they had the opportunity to visit our exhibitor tables. MICC welcomed Autism Society of Minnesota, Today’s Autistic Moment Podcast, M Health Fairview, Hennepin County – Economic Supports to our event this year! Thank you to everyone who hosted tables at the 5K! Also a big thank you to Simon Construction, who lent us their truck for race setup.
As 10:00 AM neared, the crowd gathered at the start line to hear opening remarks and race instructions from MICC CEO Amy Gudmestad, “A special shout-out to those of you joining us for your very first MICC event – welcome, we’re so glad you came! MICC is all about providing education to autistic and neurodivergent adults who want to live and work in their communities. Big thanks to our sponsors who make today possible: Autism Society of Minnesota, Moffitt Insurance Group, and Brave North Technology. Thank you for partnering with us in our work.”
MICC Participant and fellow event emcee Nick Grady took over to share his story as an MICC College program graduate, “When I first started the college program at MICC, I was excited to learn how to improve my social skills and effectively communicate with the people around me. My time at MICC has shown me how to be more responsible, respectful, and resilient by cooking my own meals, getting to class on time, and helping my peers.”
Before Amy and Nick started the race countdown, they had one more exciting announcement to share: the theme for MICC’s 23rd Annual Gala on March 14, 2026! And the big reveal was…
Beyond the Stars: Where Possibility Has No Limits!
Get it on your calendar and start thinking of what you are going to wear for our outer space theme!
From the cheers of participants to the warm smiles of volunteers and the unwavering support from families and friends, the 2025 5K event truly showcased the power of MICC’s community. Your presence transformed Donaldson Park into a place of unity and empowerment. Also, a big thank you to all of our fantastic volunteers who helped to make this year’s 5K the best yet!
Coppersmith Photography captured so many amazing images during the 5K. Take a moment to relive the magic and check out the full album! See yourself crossing the finish line? Feel free to download a copy of your photo from the album to keep.
Or see your stats by clicking on the race results.
See you next year!
