The Lucy 115 Bike Ride
In 2014, a small group of mostly Sewanee alumni cycled 115 miles from Nashville, TN to Sewanee, TN. What began on a whim has become an eagerly anticipated annual event. The ride has grown each year with additional riders, support and gear (SAG) teams, and fans awaiting the riders at the finish line.
The 11th Lucy 115 will take place on April 26, 2025, in memory of Lucy Williford, the young daughter of Judson and Leah Williford. The Lucy 115 supports The Forrest Spence Fund (FSF), headquartered in Memphis, TN, with services provided throughout the state and beyond. Our goal is to have 25 riders each raising at least $1,000.
The riders have chosen the FSF based on their commitment to meeting the needs of families with a critically or chronically ill child throughout the Mid South. The FSF focuses specifically on meeting individual patient and family needs, institutional support at nine facilities across the state, third party counseling, and grants to families that demonstrate need. Many of the services they offer benefit families who have suffered from the loss of a child.
Since 2017, the riders have helped raise over $215,000 for Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, TN, which is also a beneficiary of the FSF. Over the past 11 years, funds have been allocated towards the installation of The Le Bonheur Green, an outdoor art installation and play space that welcomes patients and their families. The Le Bonheur Green is an extension of the healing that happens in the hospital. It is a space for children and families to be renewed by gathering to relax, share life, and escape the emotional challenges of hospitalization.
The outpouring of support for Judson, Leah, Oliver, Hays and Grace has been immense and widespread throughout many communities from Memphis to Sewanee and well beyond. We hope to see you in Sewanee as we raise a glass in memory of our daughter, Lucy.
