More than 150 participants assembled at Northwest College’s campus mall for the fourth annual Run for Berry event. The event began with a 5K route and was followed by a mile long route shortly after.

The event was hosted by Soroptimist’s International of Powell as a fundraiser for the Berry Bryant Memorial Scholarship Endowment provided by Northwest College and for resources for women in the Powell community. The organization is dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls in and around Powell.

The top finishers for the two routes were seventh grader Ellie Blake as the first girl and sixth grader Colton Jackson as the first boy to cross the finish line from the mile race and Katie Griffin and James Caldwell coming in first in their respective groups for the 5K route.

This year’s run marks the 30th anniversary of 18-year-old NWC freshman Berry Bryant’s death in 1996.

Bryant was born in Montana and raised in Riverton. As a freshman at Northwest College, she studied fashion merchandise alongside performing as a saxophone player for the band and jazz programs at the college. On the night of Oct. 5, 1996, she was brutally sexually assaulted and murdered by a fellow student on Polecat Bench to the north of Powell.

In 2021, following the 25th anniversary of Berry’s murder, a scholarship with Berry’s namesake was established to provide financial support for female students who graduate from a Wyoming high school, attend Northwest College, maintain a 2.5 GPA and participate in extracurricular activities.

The following year, a memorial bench was installed on the west side of the campus mall at Northwest, designed by Berry’s friend and classmate Jamey Kirkland. The bench was designed to represent Berry through daffodils, a decision that Kirkland told the Tribune in a previous interview was made because they symbolize cheerfulness and happiness.

In attendance at the event were members of Berry’s family, who came to support the run and remember their loved one.

“Being from Montana and Wyoming, you don’t expect that kind of thing to happen,” said Berry’s cousin, Sam Morris of Billings, Montana. “It’s just such a tragic thing to face that continues to ripple.”

One notable absence from the event was Sharon Bryant, Berry’s mother, who passed away in 2023. Sharon was a key figure in maintaining Berry’s legacy in Powell by speaking at a presentation following the 20th anniversary of Berry’s death in 2016 and being a major supporter of the memorial bench and run.

Despite the somber nature of the event, Berry’s brother Ryan Bryant looked at the run optimistically and was happy to see Powell continuing to remember his sister.

“This is the second run I’ve been to now and I love the turnout.” Bryant said. “It’s 30 years later now and it’s awesome to see people continue to honor Berry.”

For more information on the Run For Berry event as well as future events hosted by the Soroptimist’s International of Powell, contact the organization at sipowellwy@gmail.com.