Customer Snapshot
- Participants in 2026: 598
- Sponsors Secured: 13
- Repeat Runners: 159
- Location: Oregon
The Oregon Trail® Game 5K is a beloved fundraiser for the Oregon City Schools Foundation (OCSF) — a nonprofit that raises money for reading initiatives, student scholarships, and school programs across Oregon City. Inspired by the 1980s computer game, the race takes participants on an interactive journey through historic Oregon City, where every decision along the route affects their final game score.
After being revived by OCSF a couple years ago, the event has grown into a standout community experience with participants traveling from across the United States — and even internationally. In 2024, the organization returned to RunSignup as its registration platform and has since seen significant growth in participation and sponsor support.
Background: A Community Race Too Good to Let Die
The Oregon Trail® Game 5K began about ten years ago as an event celebrating Oregon City’s heritage as the western terminus of the Oregon Trail. When the original organizers stepped away after two years, OCSF revived it as a community fundraiser — and the response was immediate. Today, the race draws participants from across the country and has even attracted international interest, with a fan from Slovakia expressing plans to bring a group of 20 people to a future event.
The event is managed by a lean four-person race committee (part of a 14-member board), all volunteers running the event on a tight budget. Connie Curteman, who leads race operations for OCSF, returned the event to RunSignup in 2024 after previously using the platform.
The tangible impact on students is what keeps us going through the difficult logistics of planning. Knowing that this race funds reading programs, scholarships, and snacks for middle schoolers makes it all worth it. — Oregon City Schools Foundation
Why RunSignup
When OCSF returned to RunSignup in 2024, ease of use and platform capability were top of mind for a small, all-volunteer team that couldn’t afford to spend hours troubleshooting technology.
Connie found the platform straightforward to set up, noting that their team’s comfort with technology made onboarding smooth. When a question about report customization came up, RunSignup’s support team responded quickly and resolved the issue, reinforcing confidence in the platform.
When we filed a support ticket about customizing our reports, the response was prompt and genuinely helpful. For a small volunteer team, that kind of support matters — Oregon City Schools Foundation
Features That Drive Results
Registration & Multi-Event Management
RunSignup handles all three of the event’s distinct formats — the 5K, a 1 Mile Walk, and a Kids’ Fun Run (ages 6 and under, and 7–11) — within a single race page. Online registration runs from open through a closing cutoff, with race day registration also available on-site.
Sponsor Management
One of the team’s standout uses of RunSignup has been leveraging the platform’s sponsor display tools to give sponsors visibility on the race page. Businesses are listed on a dedicated sponsor tab, giving them prominent placement in front of participants and the broader community. The result: sponsors grew from 5 to 13 in a single year, with notable in-kind contributions including 700 free cheeseburgers from Burgerville and free hydration packs from LMNT.
Reporting & Race Day Efficiency
Connie highlighted RunSignup’s reporting tools as a meaningful time-saver, particularly the ability to generate alphabetized t-shirt lists and access real-time daily signup data in the lead-up to the event. These capabilities reduce manual prep work for a team that has no room for extra overhead.
Marketing & Participant Growth
Registration growth is driven by a combination of email reminders sent every 7–10 days, social media engagement, and QR code flyers distributed in schools and local businesses. The team relies heavily on returning participants and word-of-mouth — a strong indicator of participant satisfaction with the overall registration experience.
Last Change to Register Email
Race Day Information Email
Repeat Runners & Participant Loyalty
Perhaps the strongest signal of the Oregon Trail Game 5K’s staying power is its returning participant rate. Of 598 finishers in 2026, 159 were repeat runners — participants who had done the race before and came back for more. That’s more than 1 in 4 registrants returning year over year, drawn back by the unique course, the interactive game experience, and the community atmosphere.
This loyal base is a direct driver of early registration momentum, with returning runners often signing up as soon as registration opens — reducing the team’s reliance on paid marketing and making each year’s growth more sustainable.
Donations
While OCSF doesn’t actively promote the donation option embedded in the registration flow, it still generates supplementary funding each year — demonstrating the quiet value of having that capability built in and ready for participants who want to contribute more.
What’s Next
With a successful foundation in place, OCSF is looking to deepen its use of RunSignup for the 2027 event. Planned additions include:
- Referral Rewards — Configuring a referral program to incentivize participants to share registration links, potentially offering registration refunds or swag for referrals.
- Volunteer Management Tool — Migrating from Sign Up Genius to RunSignup’s built-in volunteer tool for consolidated scheduling of the event’s 75 volunteers across all race stations.
- Race Day Check-In App — Moving from printed reports and manual check-in to RunSignup’s RaceDay CheckIn App, enabling dynamic bib assignment and faster packet pickup.
- AI Chatbot — Setting up an FAQ page on the race website to activate RunSignup’s chatbot feature and reduce the volume of inbound email inquiries about packet pickup, stroller policies, and other common questions.
We’re excited to keep building on what RunSignup makes possible. Each year we find new tools that make race day smoother and let us spend more time on what matters — our community and our students.” — Oregon City Schools Foundation
