Heroes Against Hunger 5K: Run with Us in Historic Eloy
Eloy first hosted its beloved Tip Over the Shelves 5K run in 2017, 2018, and 2019—until COVID-19 brought the tradition to a halt. In 2022, organizers revived the event with a new name, the Heroes Against Hunger 5K. Now, the race is back and better than ever, scheduled for Saturday, October 11, 2025.
Members of Safe Haven Beautiful will be lacing up and joining the run! You’ll be able to spot us by our t-shirts—and we’ll have extras available for sale, with proceeds supporting community programs. Find us on the course, run alongside us, and stop by for a chat. We’d love to hear from you—what do you think Eloy needs most? What hopes do you have for your community?
A Town with Deep Roots
Eloy’s story begins in the 1880s, when the Southern Pacific Railroad pushed across the Arizona desert. What started as a simple camp of boxcars soon grew into a settlement tied to the rhythms of the railroad, the vast desert sky, and frontier grit.
By 1902, the rail stop had a name—Eloy. Some claim it stood for “East Line of Yuma,” while others point to a more colorful origin: a worker quoting the biblical line, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” at the sight of the barren desert. Whatever the truth, the name stuck.
When farming spread across the land in the early 1900s, cotton became king. Local leaders dreamed of calling the town “Cotton City,” but the post office made it official—Eloy it would remain. By 1919, a post office opened its doors, just as cotton began driving the local economy.
Through the 1940s and 50s, Eloy became a cotton powerhouse, producing yields far above the national average. Cotton money even helped fund civic improvements. Still, the town carried a reputation as one of Arizona’s rougher, wilder places—complete with shootouts and shaky governance.
That image began to change after Eloy incorporated in 1949. Over the next few decades, the community modernized: streets were paved, schools and churches grew, and services like police, fire, and health care became part of everyday life. By the 1970s, Eloy was steadily shedding its “Wild West” reputation.
Eloy Today
While cotton fields still stretch across the desert, Eloy’s economy has grown beyond agriculture. Manufacturing, logistics, and private correctional facilities employ many residents. And on a lighter note, Eloy has achieved international fame as the “Skydiving Capital of the World,” with Skydive Arizona drawing adventurers from across the globe.
Today, Eloy is a city of more than 100 square miles—a community rooted in resilience, reinvention, and desert spirit, while looking ahead to a future of growth.
Be Part of the Story
Join us on October 11, 2025 for the Heroes Against Hunger 5K, and experience Eloy’s history, community, and forward-looking spirit first-hand. Together, let’s run for a stronger, healthier, and more connected community.