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Annual community race honors the life and memory of Columbia police officer Molly Bowden

A volunteer working for the annual 'Molly's Miles' race shows off the medal awarded to participants after finishing the walk/run.
A volunteer working for the annual 'Molly's Miles' race shows off the medal awarded to participants after finishing the walk/run.

The memory of Columbia Police Officer Molly Bowden will be honored this weekend in Columbia through the city’s annual 5k, 10k, and Virtual walk/run Molly's Miles event. The annual run takes place tomorrow, April 30, starting and ending at Molly Bowden Memorial Park. The event is a chance for the people of Columbia and all over the state of Missouri to honor police officers killed in the line of duty and support their surviving loved ones.

Bowden was shot and killed in 2005 in the course of duty. The nonprofit organization Molly’s Miles donates proceeds from the event to go towards the Missouri chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS).

Beverly Thomas (left) and Erin Howser (right) help prepare for the annual 'Molly's Miles' race taking place Saturday, April 30, in Columbia, Missouri. The event honors the life and memory of former Columbia Police Officer Molly Thomas Bowden.
Beverly Thomas (left) helps volunteers prepare for the annual 'Molly's Miles' race taking place Saturday, April 30, in Columbia, Missouri. The event honors the life and memory of former Columbia Police Officer Molly Thomas Bowden.

Molly's Miles was founded by MU Police Department Lt. Buddy Anliker and his wife Christie Anliker. The organization is dedicated to aiding the surviving families of fallen law enforcement officers and raises money to help cover costs that may follow their deaths, such as funeral expenses and celebrations of life memorials.

“My husband Buddy and I were on a run one day and it was right after five police officers had been shot and killed in Dallas, and [we thought] we need to do something,” Christie Anliker said. “And that's when we came up with the idea of Molly's Miles.”

Survivors that participate in Molly’s Miles as runners this year will wear gray shirts instead of black, along with gold bibs, to indicate that they are a survivor. Christie Anliker added that they try to give the survivors the race bib number that matches the badge number for their loved one.

Memorial Mile is a popular spot for survivors to stand and observe the race. Located along the path of the race course, the mile is lined with blue flags and yard signs of every police officer in the state of Missouri that has been killed.

“[It’s] one of the highlights of the race,” said Lt. Anliker.

The race also offers a competition between first-response teams from across the state, with departments sending teams of four to compete against the other agencies, all while raising money for the Missouri chapter of COPS.

“We have this thing called the First Responders Challenge,” Lt. Anliker said. “... The highway patrol - they’ve won it every year.”

Both of Bowden’s parents, David and Beverly Thomas, serve on the board of Molly's Miles and are a part of the Missouri Chapter of COPS.

“It's very healing to see people honor the officers, not just Molly but all officers,” said Beverly Thomas.

“It's very healing to see people honor the officers, not just Molly but all officers.”
Beverly Thomas, mother of Officer Molly Bowden

“It's just awesome that the people of Columbia want to do the things they do in honor of Molly,” David Thomas said. “In fact most people in Columbia when you mention Molly they know who you are talking about.”

More information on Molly’s Miles can be found on the organization’s website.