John Blaufuss
When John Blaufuss, former controller and interim head of the ESU Foundation, was killed on his morning jog by a drunk driver in December 2005, the Emporia State community took a significant blow.
“Jogging was something that he loved to do – sometimes he was out there at four or five in the morning jogging,” said Blake Davis, associate director of annual programs. “It was really a big loss to the community.”
However, ESU students and staff came together after his death to create a way of remembering Blaufuss and what he believed in.
“We decided to honor John for what he meant to this University,” Davis said. “Student scholarships were one thing that was always important to him and running was his passion.”
The fourth annual John Blaufuss Memorial Run/Walk will be held Saturday, May 2 at the Sauder Alumni Center to raise money for student scholarships with a 5K run and two mile walk.
“My dad was well known for his efforts to get scholarships for students,” said Angela Blaufuss, senior crime and delinquency studies major and ASG president. “He believed everyone should be able to afford to go to school and he would do anything he could to make that happen.”
John Blaufuss was controller of the ESU Foundation for 33 years and was a graduate of ESU.
“This event is a way of keeping John’s legacy alive after so many years with ESU,” said Diana Kuhlmann, associate vice president for fiscal affairs and budget director of ESU. “We’re letting people do something that John loved to give to a cause that he loved.”
The event raises money for the general scholarship fund of ESU through a combination of runner’s fees and corporate sponsorship.
“Last year we raised $10,000 for student scholarships,” Davis said. “We plan on raising as much as $11,000 to $12,000 this year.”
The continuation of the event shows how much ESU cares, Angela Blaufuss said.
“It means a lot to me that this university is doing something that my dad would approve of,” Blaufuss said. “He loved Emporia State and the life that the students brought to campus.”
Davis encourages students and community members to participate.
“The run is family friendly and has a good focus,” Davis said. “This is really for the kids that go to school here, and if students participate they’re only helping themselves. It’s a great chance to do that.”
Registration packets are available at the Sauder Alumni Center and on the university Web site. The registration fee is $25 and is non-refundable if the event is cancelled, according to the ESU Web site.
“This event links everything together,” Kuhlmann said. “We can remember John while serving the students like he would have wanted.”
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