OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY – Wendell Foster, a local non-profit agency serving people with disabilities, is welcoming Russell Hoyt as the guest speaker for the March 7th Rooster Booster Breakfast. This is the fourth annual year Wendell Foster has sponsored the breakfast, held each month by the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce, in honor of National Disability Awareness Month.
Russell is the son of Dick Hoyt and the brother of Rick Hoyt, also known as the legendary racing pair Team Hoyt. Team Hoyt began in 1977 after Rick expressed interest in running with his father in a charity race to benefit a local lacrosse player who had become paralyzed. Rick experienced difficulties at birth leading to a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. Dick, who was not trained in endurance running, pushed his son in his wheelchair for the 5-mile race and finished second to last. After this race, Rick told his father, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.” Dick and Rick would eventually complete over 1,000 endurance events, including 72 marathons, 32 Boston Marathons, and six Ironman Triathlons before their deaths in 2021 and 2022.
Russell played an integral role in the behind-the-scenes operations of Team Hoyt and assisted his father and brother in the transition pits of the Ironman Triathlon in 1989, the first time a duo ever completed the event. In 1991, Russell served as the General Manager for the Hoyt Trek Across America. As Dick and Rick ran and biked across the country, Russell navigated the route, booked the hotels, planned media stops, and made sure everyone completed the journey safely.
Russell continues the legacy of his father and brother as President and CEO of The Hoyt Foundation. The Foundation, founded in 1989, aims to build the individual character, self-confidence, and self-esteem of America’s young people with disabilities through inclusion in all facets of daily life, especially sports. Before his role at The Hoyt Foundation, his work in disability services included serving for over 20 years as an Early Childhood Director for Integrated Preschool programs in two public school districts, and becoming the state-wide Autism Specialist for Massachusetts.
Russell’s message will center around the phrase “Yes You Can!”, encouraging people of all abilities to pursue their dreams. “I am thrilled to be invited by Wendell Foster and the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce to travel to Kentucky to share the story of Team Hoyt: Yes You Can,” said Russell. “This story describes how parents believed in their son with a disability and said, ‘Yes You Can!’ to his many requests to be included in society. By including him in the sport of running, the Hoyt Family changed the world. Our family has created the Hoyt Foundation as a way to give back by helping others be supported in their desire to be included.”
Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, Candance Castlen Brake also shared her excitement at Russell’s visit. “We are thrilled to welcome Team Hoyt to Greater Owensboro. Our community is blessed to have a game changer like Wendell Foster as one of our leading non-profits,” said Castlen Brake. “The Hoyt Family’s story is so inspiring. Being able to hear from them — and to connect our community to their life experiences — will make us better people and better in the workplace.”
The breakfast will be held on March 7th at 7:30 am at the Owensboro Convention Center. The cost to attend is $15 for Chamber Members with reservations, $20 for Members with no reservations, and $25 for non-members. Guests can register on the Chamber website (chamber.owensboro.com) or by calling the Chamber office at 270-926-1860 by noon on Wednesday, March 6th.