Joplin, Missouri
Each June, Joplin hosts the Boomtown Run, a half marathon, 5K, and children's run. The event attracts runners from across the country, and features USTA certified courses which start and end in the historic downtown area. Celebrity runners featured at the prerace banquet have included Bart Yasso, Sarah Reinerston, Suzy Favor-Hamilton, and Jeff Galloway. In 2011, due to the devastating EF5 tornado that struck Joplin on May 22, just three weeks before the run, the event was transformed in the Boomtown Run Day of Service. About 270 individuals registered for the race after the tornado struck, knowing their proceeds would benefit tornado recovery. On June 11, about 270 registered runners and volunteers turned out to help clean debris and sort donations, contributing more than 1,200 hours of service. On August 7, 2012, the Village of Silver Creek and the City of Joplin voted to have Silver Creek annexed into Joplin City limits.
Tornadoes of 2014
Numerous tornadoes ripped across parts of Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Florida. A large, violent tornado struck Mayflower and Vilonia, Arkansas, on April 27 causing severe damage and killing 16 people. The tornado was rated a high-end EF4, the first violent tornado of the year. Another death was confirmed earlier that evening with an EF2 tornado that moved through Quapaw, Oklahoma, and Baxter Springs, Kansas. Ten people were killed on the 28th when an EF4 tornado struck Louisville, Mississippi. EF3s caused major damage and fatalities in Coxey, Alabama and Tupelo, Mississippi, as well. Overall, this outbreak produced 84 tornadoes and killed 35 people. The city of Joplin, Missouri was under a tornado watch on April 27.