History

The Downriver Treadmill Run was the creation of Doctor Joseph Rogers. The idea was to get his heart patients to be more physically active. Over the years, the run attracted more than heart patients. Runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes found the run through downtown Trenton and into Elizabeth Park to be rated one of Michigan's top 50 runs.

Doctor Rogers' other community activities limited his time for the run and the project was given to Jim Zanglin. Jim has been the chairman for the Zanglin Downriver Run for the past eight years. The only change for the run is that the profits from the run are for charitable purposes.

In the past, proceeds from the race were donated to: Downriver Center for Oncology, The MS Society, "I Promise", Riverside Osteopathic Hospital, Downriver Panthers and the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Michigan.   Hundreds of t-shirts from the run have been donated to children in Haiti.   Racing wheelchairs have been purchased for paralyzed athletes . Last year's proceeds were donated to the Trenton Animal Shelter.