What is the CCVI Trolley Run?
It's Great to Lace Up with You!
Kansas City's most inspiring race will be held on April 27, 2025. Trolley Run is the largest fundraiser for Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired (CCVI). All money raised from the race supports educational or therapeutic services for kids with vision impairment, including those with multiple disabilities.
Each year, thousands of runners take to the streets of Waldo, Brookside, and the Country Club Plaza for a 4-mile route full of fun! Some of us go for gold finishing the race in under 18 minutes(!) and some of us take our time, stop for pictures with friends and stroll down the beautiful boulevards. It doesn't matter if you're fast or finish last. When you join the race, you're already on the winning team.
One of Kansas City's Most Inclusive Parties
We're about bringing the community together for an amazing cause-- no experience or athletic ability required. Since the CCVI Trolley Run is owned and operated by Children's Center for the Visually Impaired, our priority is ensuring all feel welcome, regardless of ability, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, or gender.
History of the Race
Now in its 37th year, the idea for this fundraiser was presented to the Friends of CCVI by the former Michael Forbes Restaurants, Inc., which owned two restaurants, four miles apart in the heart of Kansas City and The Plaza shopping area. The four-mile course follows the old streetcar/trolley tracks and hence, the name, Trolley Run. Trolley Run is the largest annual fundraiser for CCVI and provides critical funding to support the specialized education and individualized therapies children receive every year. Trolley Run has succeeded through the generous support of our individual and corporate sponsors, including former title sponsor Sabates Eye Centers, NASB, and many others.
Did You know?
The CCVI Trolley Run is one of Kansas City's oldest and largest runs and was the first major run in Kansas City to use chip technology for race results.
A Record-breaking Run
Since 1998, several records have been broken for a four-mile U.S. race. The Trolley Run continues to hold these distinctions:
- Since 1998, home of Men’s Four-mile U.S. Best
- Since 1999, home of Men’s Masters Four-mile U.S. Best
- Since 2000, home of Women’s Four-mile Course Record
