Santa Speedo Run is about making a difference for David Roberts
Fri. December 6, 2024 8:12 AM by Ross Forman
david roberts
photo credit // provided
David Roberts is hanging up his speedo with a record-breaking year and legacy.
Roberts, 53, a legal secretary at Chapman and Cutler LLP, is retiring from his legendary fundraising run, literally, for the annual Santa Speedo Run Northalsted, held the first Saturday in December, regardless of the weather.
Roberts has raised more than $131,000 over the past 10 years, including about $17,000 this year, which surpasses last year’s best-ever total of $16,140.05.
“I decided to hang up my speedos after this year because, after 10 years, the constant hustling for sponsorships has gotten to be a lot,” he said. “I am known for doing a Speedo Shoutout to my sponsors on social media (and) I try to put a funny quip or anecdote about each person. After 10 years, I am running out of material.
“Also, I feel that the run has lost some of its focus on the fundraising aspect behind it. A recent email from the Center on Halsted showed 337 registered runners with only 152 fundraising pages set up. That is less than half of the registered runners trying to fundraise. If everyone registered tried to raise at least $100-200, think of how much more money this event would generate. Each year the goals are always met, but I would like to see a little more giving back to the community.
“I am going to focus on some other behind the scenes fundraising that I have been approached about over the next year or so and hope someone steps up to take my place within the run.”
The 2024 Santa Speedo Run Northalsted is Saturday, December 7. Sign-in at Sidetrack in Lakeview starts at 12noon, with the 1-mile run through Lakeview East starting at 2 p.m.
Awards will be presented at 2:30 p.m., along with entertainment and door prizes.
The after-party at Sidetrack is from 4-8 p.m.
“I have asked the Center to use my funds specifically for (its) homeless youth program. It is my understanding that my funds have gone there,” Roberts said. “I was lucky to be raised by two wonderful and accepting parents, but not everyone is that lucky and that is something important to me.
“I know I am making a difference for someone.”
Each year since 2011, hundreds of participants have spent a December day running through the heart of East Lakeview, clad in nothing more than Santa hats, speedos and other holiday attire.
The event is a major fundraiser for the Center on Halsted, which is the Midwest’s most comprehensive community center dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of LGBTQ people across Chicago.
Roberts was the recipient of the first Jeff and Karl Spirit of the Run Award in 2022.
“My (fundraising) record was (set) last year, which I didn’t think I would match, so the fact that I broke my record (this year) is pretty amazing and a nice way to end my legacy.”
Last year, the Santa Speedo Run Northalsted raised about $150,000 for the Center. Over the years, the run has raised more than $650,000 to support services and programs benefiting the LGBTQ community of Chicago.
The husband duo of Karl Sponholtz and Jeff Colgan started the run with a simple goal: to create a fun charity event that directly involves and benefits members of the LGBTQ community.
The event annually attracts about 1,000 attendees, including many driven by eye-candy.
“What started years ago as a silly thing to do has turned into something that I know has a meaningful impact on the community,” Roberts said. “The first year or two (of the event) was a bit competitive between a few of the fundraisers, so that was fun, going head-to-head and battling it out for the title. The first year I did (the race), I was not the top fundraiser, nor the second year. But I have been the top fundraiser every other year.
“I do it every year because I know the money I am raising is going to a good cause and it is a fun event – who doesn’t want to be at Sidetrack with a hundred other men in speedos the first weekend of December?!”
Roberts recalls a fundraising tale from his early years of the event, when one person who he was always battling to be the top fundraiser – yet the other fundraiser would not accept Roberts’ friend request on Facebook.
However, he had an open profile, so Roberts could see his posts, such as when he shared that he was currently in the lead until that attorney (Roberts) starts his fundraising and then he would lose.
Roberts commented on that post, “For the record, I am just a legal secretary, not an attorney.”
The other fundraiser didn’t realize Roberts could see his posts.
“I thought it was funny,” said Roberts, who wears pasties on race day, which “started as a silly thing that I did, but it was such a conversation starter that it became my signature.”
Roberts, 53, a legal secretary at Chapman and Cutler LLP, is retiring from his legendary fundraising run, literally, for the annual Santa Speedo Run Northalsted, held the first Saturday in December, regardless of the weather.
Roberts has raised more than $131,000 over the past 10 years, including about $17,000 this year, which surpasses last year’s best-ever total of $16,140.05.
“I decided to hang up my speedos after this year because, after 10 years, the constant hustling for sponsorships has gotten to be a lot,” he said. “I am known for doing a Speedo Shoutout to my sponsors on social media (and) I try to put a funny quip or anecdote about each person. After 10 years, I am running out of material.
“Also, I feel that the run has lost some of its focus on the fundraising aspect behind it. A recent email from the Center on Halsted showed 337 registered runners with only 152 fundraising pages set up. That is less than half of the registered runners trying to fundraise. If everyone registered tried to raise at least $100-200, think of how much more money this event would generate. Each year the goals are always met, but I would like to see a little more giving back to the community.
“I am going to focus on some other behind the scenes fundraising that I have been approached about over the next year or so and hope someone steps up to take my place within the run.”
The 2024 Santa Speedo Run Northalsted is Saturday, December 7. Sign-in at Sidetrack in Lakeview starts at 12noon, with the 1-mile run through Lakeview East starting at 2 p.m.
Awards will be presented at 2:30 p.m., along with entertainment and door prizes.
The after-party at Sidetrack is from 4-8 p.m.
“I have asked the Center to use my funds specifically for (its) homeless youth program. It is my understanding that my funds have gone there,” Roberts said. “I was lucky to be raised by two wonderful and accepting parents, but not everyone is that lucky and that is something important to me.
“I know I am making a difference for someone.”
Each year since 2011, hundreds of participants have spent a December day running through the heart of East Lakeview, clad in nothing more than Santa hats, speedos and other holiday attire.
The event is a major fundraiser for the Center on Halsted, which is the Midwest’s most comprehensive community center dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of LGBTQ people across Chicago.
Roberts was the recipient of the first Jeff and Karl Spirit of the Run Award in 2022.
“My (fundraising) record was (set) last year, which I didn’t think I would match, so the fact that I broke my record (this year) is pretty amazing and a nice way to end my legacy.”
Last year, the Santa Speedo Run Northalsted raised about $150,000 for the Center. Over the years, the run has raised more than $650,000 to support services and programs benefiting the LGBTQ community of Chicago.
The husband duo of Karl Sponholtz and Jeff Colgan started the run with a simple goal: to create a fun charity event that directly involves and benefits members of the LGBTQ community.
The event annually attracts about 1,000 attendees, including many driven by eye-candy.
“What started years ago as a silly thing to do has turned into something that I know has a meaningful impact on the community,” Roberts said. “The first year or two (of the event) was a bit competitive between a few of the fundraisers, so that was fun, going head-to-head and battling it out for the title. The first year I did (the race), I was not the top fundraiser, nor the second year. But I have been the top fundraiser every other year.
“I do it every year because I know the money I am raising is going to a good cause and it is a fun event – who doesn’t want to be at Sidetrack with a hundred other men in speedos the first weekend of December?!”
Roberts recalls a fundraising tale from his early years of the event, when one person who he was always battling to be the top fundraiser – yet the other fundraiser would not accept Roberts’ friend request on Facebook.
However, he had an open profile, so Roberts could see his posts, such as when he shared that he was currently in the lead until that attorney (Roberts) starts his fundraising and then he would lose.
Roberts commented on that post, “For the record, I am just a legal secretary, not an attorney.”
The other fundraiser didn’t realize Roberts could see his posts.
“I thought it was funny,” said Roberts, who wears pasties on race day, which “started as a silly thing that I did, but it was such a conversation starter that it became my signature.”