HANCEVILLE – The third annual Grant Brown Memorial 5K will be held at Wallace State Community College this Saturday, April 22. Day-of registration will be from 8-8:25 a.m. The race will begin at 8:30. Registration is a $10 donation, or $5 for those who wish to only participate in the 1-mile Fun Run/Walk (the first mile of the 5K).
Savannah Funderburg, of Hanceville Elementary School, is leading the organization of this year’s event, along with Jessica McHan.
“Our goal each year is to raise enough to cover the cost of one-year tuition to Wallace State Community College,” Funderburg said. “We have been very blessed thus far to have raised enough through various fundraisers each year.”
The event, which has been held at WSCC for the previous two years, raises funds for the scholarship. According to Funderburg, the scholarship is part of the Wallace State Future Foundation. Because of this, WSCC allows the organizers of the race to use the designated 5K course on campus.
The event is held in memory of Grant Brown.
“Grant Brown was full of life. He loved traveling, history, Alabama football and spending time with his family and friends,” said Funderburg. “He also loved being a Bulldog from Hanceville High School. Grant graduated from Hanceville in May of 2013. He had plans to travel to Europe and then attend the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. However, Grant never got to live out these dreams. One week after his high school graduation, he passed away.”
According to Funderburg, the scholarship was established in the fall of 2013 as a way for Grant's parents, Jeff and Kim Brown, to honor Grant's memory.
“They wanted to give other Hanceville High School graduating seniors a chance to achieve their dreams of college that Grant was unable to do,” said Funderburg. “Each spring, one deserving Hanceville senior is awarded a one-year full tuition paid scholarship to Wallace State in memory of Grant.”
The scholarship allows Grant's love of Hanceville High School and life to continue paying it forward to other proud Bulldogs.
Funderburg and McHan can see the event growing in the future.
“We would like for the event to grow into a community-wide event,” Funderburg said. “It has grown each of the past two years and we would like for that trend to continue and involve more and more people from our community and around the county.” While there will not be any food vendors at the event this year, Funderburg said she hopes that if the event continues to grow, vendors will be one of the additions made.
To pre-register, call Hanceville Elementary School at 256-352-9196.
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