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(ARCHIVE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) A group of 5K runners take off from the starting line at the Spivey Hill Challenge at Firemen’s Park in 2023. The event this year will be held Saturday, Nov. 9 with registration available online. -
(ARCHIVE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Runners approach the finish line at the Spivey Hill Challenge in 2023 at Firemen’s Park. The event this year will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 with a virtual and in-person 5K, 1K Fun Run and the Walk & Talk.
The Spivey Hill Challenge will celebrate a decade of giving back while honoring Graham locals when it takes off from Firemen’s Park next month.
The race, which includes a virtual and in-person 5K, 1K Fun Run and Walk & Talk, will start at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at Firemen’s Park in Graham.
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 and Shine On.
The idea for the run was born from Dr. Jamie Epperson’s experiences running 5Ks, half-marathons and a marathon with friends. She wanted to make the running experience more meaningful and decided to bring Spivey Hill into a race.
After running the event with a board for eight years, Epperson passed away July 14, 2023 in Wichita Falls after a long struggle with cancer.
Lisa Irby inherited the lead role over Spivey Hill Challenge and said the board continues to pursue the legacy started by Epperson and her passion for giving.
“Epperson’s love for running inspired her and her friends to create the Spivey Hill Challenge 5K to turn their passion into something that gave back to the community and supported such worthy organizations,” Irby said.
The race is held in honor of Dr. Jamie Epperson, Bill Spivey and Spencer Street III, who all made an impact locally.
“Bill Spivey, our race’s namesake, developed so many areas of Graham, including Dairy King, the baseball parks and the Spivey Hill housing addition, forever changing the overall landscape for the better,” Irby said. “Spencer B. Street III was a leader and a friend to all. Spencer had a servant’s heart. He led by example and was a role model and mentor to so many.”
All proceeds from the event benefit Garments of Grace and Shine On, and this year the event has added a new beneficiary, the Graham Friends of the Arc Hero House.
Garments of Grace is a local charity that provides brand new clothes for children in need in a shopping environment.
Shine On is a local charity which serves women in Young and Jack counties who have been victims of domestic violence, homelessness or addiction and need temporary housing.
The Hero House is a nonprofit which 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 5K, 1K Fun Run and Walk & Talk have an online registration fee of $35. The virtual 5K has a registration fee of $50.
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.
Direct donations to the event benefiting the three organizations can also be made online through runsignup.com.
“We are so proud of what we have created and the significant difference that it has made and continues to make in our community,” Irby said. “We certainly couldn’t do this without your dedicated participation, our incredible sponsors and all you exceptional volunteers”
