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(ARCHIVE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) A group of runners decked out in 10th anniversary Spivey Hill Challenge shirts approach the finish line at Firemen’s Park during the 2024 race. The race this year will take place Saturday, Nov. 8 benefiting two area nonprofit organizations. -
(ARCHIVE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Runners young and old make their way to the Spivey Hill Challenge race at Firemen’s Park. Registration for the run is open until the event Saturday, Nov. 8.
Runners will have the opportunity to take on the Spivey Hill Challenge at the beginning of November while giving back to local organizations.
Since beginning in 2015, the race has raised over $100,000 benefiting the Haitian orphanage Hands and Feet and the local organizations of Garments of Grace, Shine On and HERO House.
This year’s race will be held Saturday, Nov. 8 starting and ending at Firemen’s Park in Graham. The event will consist of a 5K, Walk & Talk, Fun Run and a virtual 5K.
The event will start at 9 a.m. with the 5K followed by the Walk & Talk at 9:05 a.m. and the Fun Run at 10 a.m. Participant tracking, results and registration are available online at runsignup.com.
There will be male and female award categories for age groups 10 and under, 11-14, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59 and 60 and over.
The 5K, 1K Fun Run and Walk & Talk have an online and race day registration fee of $35, while the virtual 5K has a registration fee of $50.
Proceeds from the race this year will benefit the organizations Garments of Grace and HERO House. Direct donations to the event benefiting the two organizations can also be made online through runsignup.com.
Garments of Grace is a local charity that provides brand new clothes for children in need in a shopping environment.
HERO House provides day habilitation, transportation and support to intellectually and developmentally disabled (IDD) teens and adults. The organization provides IDD individuals a place to meet, learn, play and be themselves under the supervision of trained, qualified personnel.
The Spivey Hill Challenge board presented three $6,000 checks Wednesday, Feb. 19 to the local organizations Shine On for Women, Garments of Grace and HERO House. The funds were raised during the 10th annual 5K race held Nov. 9, 2024 at Firemen’s Park.
The idea for the race began with Jamie Epperson, Jody Dacus, Xan Holub and Susan Davidson in 2015, who were running partners training for and competing in 5K and half-marathons.
“There were four of us and the first year we were just running buddies and had gone on some trips. ...We just thought, ‘Graham has so much to offer, why not try to do something here,’” Holub said.
After running the event with the organization board for eight years, Epperson passed away July 14, 2023 in Wichita Falls after a long struggle with cancer. The race now honors Bill Spivey, Spencer Street III and Epperson each year.
The 2023 event memorialized Epperson who exemplified the spirit of the organization and inspired others in the community.
Holub said over the years the mission of the board that organizes the event has remained the same.
“(That mission is) to benefit people that otherwise would really be struggling for funds and help. It’s sort of a cycle of life in the community of Graham itself, by utilizing what we have and contributing back into the lives of the people here, especially those that are vulnerable,” she said.
