The Fraternity of Galaxy’s Kirk Goodwin Run is expected to raise over $30,000–more than three times what was raised last year–with the proceeds benefiting COBA staff member Jasmine McCabe-Gossett.

Each year, the club chooses an individual to support financially and then organizes a community run to raise money. Galaxy will lead its 43rd annual KGR on May 2 at 10:30 a.m.

Jasmine McCabe-Gossett with her husband, Regi, and son, Luca, in 2025. (Photo by Brylie Leach)

McCabe-Gossett, professional development and internship director in COBA, was diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy in November of 2024. McCabe-Gossett has made significant improvements, but she still experiences numbness/neuropathy in her feet.

“It’s hard to understand because I’ve been working out and training to run again, but I literally cannot feel my feet at all,” McCabe-Gossett said. “I am also still unable to drive independently. I’m in the process of getting hand controls added to my vehicle, and I recently had to pass my driver’s test again to prove that I could drive with hand controls. It’s been a slow process, but I’m really proud of the progress I’ve made toward this new normal.”

Brady Locke, junior director in Galaxy, said the team was uncertain about who this year’s beneficiary would be. However, one day he saw McCabe-Gossett walking in COBA while using a cane and remembered her condition. 

“We were like, ‘Oh my goodness, this is the perfect opportunity,’” said Locke, accounting major from Yakima, Washington. “Jasmine serves us students every single day, especially in the College of Business. She loves the students at ACU. Why not have her be our beneficiary?”

Locke said choosing McCabe-Goseett worked out perfectly. She has begun a new treatment plan that her insurance considers experimental and has denied coverage. McCabe-Gossett said the UT SouthWestern team has been advocating for her, but if needed, she is prepared to use the proceeds from the run to help cover the cost.

“Since she’s been paying out of pocket,” Locke said, “this money will go directly to help pay for her treatment plan that she’s going through right now.”

The KGR began in 1984 after Kirk Goodwin, a former student and member of Galaxy, died in a car accident. Goodwin’s friends planned an event to raise money for the hospital and burial fees. 

The increase in fundraising is attributed to how KGR is structured. This year, Locke and his co-junior director, Parker Polk, decided to revamp the KGR to make it more like a nonprofit organization.

“I was sitting there, and I was thinking, ‘Why don’t we change this into something that can be as good as it possibly can and really make a difference across ACU’s campus– across the Abilene community?’” Locke said. “There’s no reason why this specific event and specific cause can’t be an event that everyone knows about every single year.”

One of the biggest changes is the new sponsorship structure. Being featured on a banner costs $500, $1,000 for a spot on the t-shirt and a banner, and $2,500 to also advertise on galaxycharitable.com. It formerly cost $500 for a business to get on the KGR t-shirt. 

More people have opted for the more expensive sponsorship, said Polk, management major from Grapevine.

“I think that alone made us, like, $10,000-15,000 extra,” Polk said. “So that was another cool thing we did.” 

Polk and Locke said that since they have already reached the original goal of $30,000, they bumped it up to $40,000, but if they reach that, they will continue to bump it up. Last year, Galaxy raised $10,000 with 50 signups, and this year they are at $30,000 and 150 signups.

Another change this year is the addition of live music and a tailgate, which Locke said he hopes will make it more of an event, not just a run. It will be located outside of the Hunter Welcome Center, and the course will go around the Lunsford Trail, through campus and back.

Right now, the fraternity is more focused on getting more people to sign up for the run and participate. Polk said it is a great day for the community to join together on one day for a specific cause.

“For them to see Jasmine and the Goodwins in person,” Polk said, “and hear their story, and see how like, ‘Oh, I just signed up for a run,’ but when you get there, you go, ‘my money actually went to something that’s going to change someone’s life.’”

People can sign up for the run by buying a t-shirt from the website. 

“Seeing the face of the people that bought the shirts and, especially for the Goodwins, his mom, I mean, this means the world to her,” Polk said. “That’s one race every year, she said it perfectly, just knowing that her son’s name is still spoken and still talked about like the day of is just really cool.”

Locke said he hopes the event helps bring awareness that there are people in the community who need help but might not ask for it.

“Especially in the medical related field,” Locke said. “there’s a lot of times where people will have medical issues, and there will be people that are struggling, but they don’t want to talk about it, or they don’t want to bring it out into the light, because it is such a vulnerable thing, and because money is also a very vulnerable part of people’s lives.”

Locke said he has enjoyed planning the event and looks forward to it continuing to be a crucial part of campus life.

“Every time that we’ve been stuck, every time that we’ve hit a wall, it’s been prayer about the situation, and then the Lord will open the door,” Locke said. “We don’t deserve any recognition for the things that have gone on throughout this. It’s all glory to God throughout it, because if it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t even be doing what we’re doing now.”