'Fireball Run' episode films on Fort Leonard Wood

By Mrs. Melissa Buckley (Leonard Wood)October 9, 2014

'Fireball Run' episode films on Fort Leonard Wood
A member of the "Fireball Run" production crew films the Mesa, Ariz., Chamber Chicks team — made up of Sally Harrison and Allison Ewers — as they dash inside the World War II Chapel to take a photo with the Soldiers inside. The chapel was... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Fort Leonard Wood was host to a reality show that focuses on finding missing children around the country.

Teams, including one from Pulaski County, hunted for points of interest hidden in or near the post museum and one of the post's churches which was filmed for season eight of "Fireball Run Adventurally."

The show sponsors the "Race to Recover America's Missing Children."

"Fireball Run isn't a traditional reality show. Fireball Run is the story of 40 teams as they embark upon an epic journey to engage history, adventure to undiscovered country and aid in a massive effort to recover America's missing children," said J. Sanchez, the show's executive producer.

The contest is similar to Trivial Pursuit and the "Amazing Race" combined. To score, teams solve clues and accomplish tasks. The clues are based upon the team's geographical position.

The event consists of 40 teams, eight days, 14 cities and 2,500 miles. Team members must be executive-level business people, industry celebrities and elected officials.

Fort Leonard Wood will be a part of season eight featuring "America's Frontier."

It was a rainy Missouri day for the teams racing around Fort Leonard Wood, but they didn't let the clouds put a damper on the fun.

Sanchez, producer of the "Fireball Run" for the last seven years, said his experience on Fort Leonard Wood was legendary.

"It was epic, historic and memorable. Meeting a two-star general was a major highlight for the participants," Sanchez said of meeting Maj. Gen. Leslie Smith, Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general.

Some of the points of interest the teams were looking for on post were the Berlin Wall exhibit, General Leonard Wood's Sword and Medal of Honor, Govenor K. Warren's Civil War flag, General Horatio Derby's 1856 uniform and the World Ward II Chapel.

The chapel was particularly important to the race because of its history.

The WWII chapel was for black Soldiers, which was moved from the black Soldier area (when the military was segregated) on Fort Leonard Wood to its current location.

President Harry Truman desegregated the military, so this tied into the "Fireball Run" finish point at the Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri.

Sanchez said his favorite thing about filming on post was getting to see the old segregated church.

One of the teams competing in season eight was from Pulaski County.

Representing the Pulaski County Tourism Bureau were Missouri House District 122 State Rep. Steven Lynch and Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Cecilia Murray.

"Steve and I made a great team. We worked really hard," Murray said. "It is all about bringing home these missing children."

"We put the game aside when we went through Springfield and spent our time handing out fliers, because when Kylie Lawrence ran away, she was in Springfield. The detectives think she is still there. We want her to know that people are still looking for her. I mean we are strangers, and we are looking for her. My daughter is 15, so this really hits home," she added.

Seventeen-year-old Kylie Lawrence was last seen on July 28, 2013.

The anticipated live audience for "Fireball Run Season 8: America's Frontier" is 75,000 online viewers. It is streamed live on the Web and is released as an episode.

"Season 8: America's Frontier" will air in the summer of 2015 on Roku, AmaznFIRE TV, Smart TV, GooglePlay and at fireballrun.com.

"We are grateful to have experienced a bit of Army history. We hope to make you proud of the privilege to visit your installation," Sanchez said.

Murray said she and Lynch plan on making a trip back to Springfield, Missouri, soon.

"Even though the rally is over, we are not giving up looking for our missing child," she said.

(Editor's note: Shatara Seymour contributed to this story.)

Related Links:

Fort Leonard Wood GUIDON Newspaper

Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood