IMPACT, & GRATITUDE
I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead Sports Backers alongside so many amazing people and for helping make active living a core part of our region’s identity. Our achievements over the past three decades reflect the incredible teamwork that defines Sports Backers. From our dedicated professional staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes, to our volunteers who give their time and energy, to our high-performing Board of Directors, generous donors, and long-standing partnerships with local governments—this collective effort has made our vibrant active living movement a reality.
I’ve had the privilege of seeing Sports Backers' events and programs earn numerous local, regional, and national awards. The organization has been named the best sports commission in the country four times by the Sports Events and Tourism Association. The Bike Walk RVA program won Bicycling Magazine’s People’s Choice Advocacy Award, and the Kids On The Move program was honored as Youth Event of the Year by Running USA. Sports Backers also played a key role in Richmond being named “Best River Town in America” by Outside Magazine. Dominion Energy Riverrock remains the nation’s largest sports and music festival, while the Allianz Richmond Marathon and Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k rank among the top 50 largest running races in the country.
With all of this success and momentum, I knew that next summer would be the right time for the organization to transition to new leadership. With a new headquarters on the Fall Line trail, an outstanding staff, and a strong financial foundation, Sports Backers is wellpositioned for continued impact. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the past 31 years of building a more vibrant community. Every day, we see the results of our collective efforts in the growing number of people walking, biking, running, and playing throughout our region.
Jon Lugbill Executive Director
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ROY GRIER
Community Volunteer
LEGAL COUNSEL
ANDREW K. CLARK
Hirschler
TREASURER
DON GARBER
Kjellstrom + Lee Construction
SECRETARY & GOVERNANCE CHAIR
THE HONORABLE ANGELA KELLY-WIECEK
Hanover County Board of Supervisors
NEIL
Agnihotri
LASHRECSE
Richard
Shamin
MATT
Senior
BOB
Ukrop's
KELLI
WENDY LEWIS
KIM
A LASTING IMPACT
Over the past 31 years, Sports Backers has grown into a cornerstone of our community, driving health, activity, and connection. This past year has been a testament to how far the organization has come, showcasing its resiliency, creativity, and unwavering commitment to ensuring everyone has the opportunity to be active. It’s a reflection of not just their history, but their vision for the future—innovating and evolving to meet new challenges while continuing to build a stronger, healthier, and more united community. The strides made this year light the path forward for even greater impact in the years to come.
Roy Grier Board Chair
The Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k presented by Kroger celebrated its 25th Anniversary on April 20, 2024, with 24,019 participants hitting the streets for Richmond’s biggest block party. From first-timers to seasoned runners, the event was a true community celebration, filled with energy, fun, and a little extra sparkle for the big milestone. Here's to 25 years of running, walking, and cheering together!
ENERGIZING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH EVENTS
The inaugural Virginia Credit Union River City Half & 5k made a splash on March 9 with a sold-out event that drew 2,752 enthusiastic participants. Featuring the stunning campus of the University of Richmond and panoramic river views, Richmond’s newest race quickly proved to be a crowd favorite.
Looking Ahead: We have increased capacity for the 2025 event and expect to sell-out at 3,250 participants.
The 2023 CarMax Tacky Light Run brought even more holiday cheer with the addition of the Twilight 1-Mile Kids Run giving kids ages 4-12 their own chance to shine. With 5,045 participants joining in the fun, the event was a glowing celebration for all ages, proving there’s no better way to stay active than with a little sparkle and a lot of joy!
The Allianz Partners Richmond Marathon, CarMax Richmond Half Marathon, and VCU Health Richmond 8k drew participants from across the globe! The 46th running of the event, held on November 11, 2023, lived up to its nickname as "America's Friendliest Marathon," drawing an impressive 17,904 participants. With 60% of runners hailing from outside the Richmond Region and representation from all 50 states and 23 countries, it was a true celebration of community and connection.
Looking Ahead: The growth achieved in 2023 led to record-breaking registration numbers in the 2024 event.
The 16th year of Dominion Energy Riverrock brought fresh excitement to the nation’s largest outdoor sports and music festival! In partnership with Venture Richmond, Sports Backers expanded Adventure Zones, revamped the festival layout, and added thrilling new events like Kayak Water Polo. With over 2,469 participants enjoying free activities like kayaking, paddleboarding, and bouldering, the festival broke down barriers to access while showcasing the many great ways to stay active in Richmond’s incredible outdoor spaces!
55k+
People participated in a Sports Backers event between July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024
CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROUP FITNESS
Sports Backers' Kids Run RVA program got a fresh new name—Kids On The Move—reflecting an exciting shift to fitness clubs that go beyond running to inspire even more youth to get active. With this expanded focus, participation jumped by nearly 10%, proving that when it comes to getting kids moving, the more ways to play, the better!
Looking Ahead: Kids On The Move is on track to expand the total number of Run and Fitness Clubs to 55.
3,000
Youth inspired to move more! Kids from across the region benefitted from the financial support, complimentary event entries and running shoes, or equipment loans given to 60 schools by Kids Run RVA
3,588
People joined a Sports Backers Training Team and trained for a marathon, half marathon, 10k, or 8k
We celebrated the first-ever graduating class of our Active Living Leadership ALL Stars Program! Nineteen student-athletes completed this transformative program, gaining education, hands-on experiences, and mentorship to grow as leaders for active living. To top it off, each ALL Star received at least a $2,500 scholarship, proving that hard work and passion truly pay off— congratulations to these trailblazing stars!
Looking Ahead: Sports Backers and the Richmond Times-Dispatch are currently guiding twenty student athletes through the second class of the program and expect the program to continue for years to come.
Big changes are sparking major momentum in our Fitness Warriors Program! By compensating Warriors for the community classes they lead, we’ve boosted morale, improved retention, and shown how much we value their contributions. The shift has even inspired prior Warriors to step back into action! Plus, new fitness options like Aqua Zumba and guided hikes, are being introduced, bringing even more energy and variety to active living in our communities!
Looking Ahead: We aim to grow the number of weekly fitness classes offered throughout the region to 80.
58
weekly fitness classes led by Fitness Warriors, certified fitness instructors, throughout the Richmond Region
ADVOCATING FOR ACTIVE LIVING INFRASTRUCTURE
This year brought double the excitement for the Fall Line trail with two groundbreaking celebrations! Hanover, Henrico, and the Town of Ashland kicked off construction on a 4.8-mile section of the 43-mile trail in Ashland, while Henrico County leaders cut the ribbon on 1,400 feet of newly completed trail. This fresh section, running alongside the future home of Sports Backers and the Active Living Hub, is paving the way for even more movement and connection in our community!
Looking Ahead: Groundbreakings and trail segment completions are expected to continue as the region works to complete the 43-mile Fall Line.
Sports Backers' new office and Active Living Hub, shown in the rendering on left, is under construction and expected to open in Feburary 2025! The hub is located directly along the Fall Line trail and will serve as a gathering space for Sports Backers employees, volunteers, trail users, and it will host fitness classes, training sessions, and more in our multi-purpose fitness room.
Looking Ahead: We anticipate over 11,000 visitors each year will utilize the facility.
Sports Backers embarked on and subsequently completed a five-year fundraising campaign, raising over $3.4 million in pledges and donations. Thanks to our generous campaign donors, listed below, the funds are being used to make the region more active by executing Sports Backers 5-year strategic plan implemented in 2022.
Benjamin & Maureen Ackerly
Andreas Addison
Neil Agnihotri & Rupal Shah
Lashresce Aird
Allianz Partners
Neil & Amishi Amin
Matt & Marcey Anderson
Brittney Antozzi & Paul Lamborn
Astyra
Brad & Frazier Armstrong
Scott & Nancy Belleman
Bill & Lauri Berry
Andrew & Hilary Blanchard
Liz & Bob Blue
Margaret & Al Broaddus
Candace Broaddus
Tom & Daisy Byrd
Nan & Tyler Callahan
Megan & Nick Capito
Chamber RVA
Carol Cheley
Andy & Jennifer Clark
Kelly & Danny Clark
Andy Clarke
Commonwealth Event Company
Eric & Megan Cone
CoStar Group
Paul & Jennifer Croston
Cushman & Wakefield |Thalhimer
Will Dixon
Sean Dougherty
Kristen & Sean Eichert
Ashley Fary
Jeff Fitch
Maggie & John Forrest
Susan Dunford Freeman
Betsy & Don Garber
Suzanne Gardner
Dan Gecker & Liz Gibbs
Mara George & Colin Schoenhaut
Kirsti & Matt Goodwin
Mary Marshall & Jeff Graeber
Graybeale Construction
Greater Richmond Partnership
GroundForceIT
Roy & Charlotte Grier
Brad Hammer
Leslie Haley
Rob & Gloria Hargett
Heritage Wealth Advisors
Hourigan
Hunton Andrews Kurth
Ron & Dorothy Jaeckle
Barb & Jeff Jewell
Erin Deal Johnson
Gail & Earl Johnson
Lydia Johnson
Molly Johnson
Steven Jones
Chris & Nancy Jo Kantner
Michael Keegan
Timothy Kelly
Angela Kelly-Wiecek
William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust
Michael Kerr
C. Burke King
Kinsale
KPMG
Hannah Leber
Keech leGrand & Barry Hayes
Kelli Lemon
Bobby & Barbara Jean Long
Gill & Jon Lugbill
David & Patricia Lyons
Kim MacLeod
Lenora Mariner
Kathy & Steve Markel
Markel
Bruce Markle
Tim & Megan McCreary
McGuireWoods
Boodie McGurn
Kelly & Clark Mercer
Michelle & Will Mertens
Lauren & Blake Millard
Sam & Heather Mintz
Wade Morasco
Susan Motley
Beth & Bill Nash
Rainey & Kile Niklawski
Katherine O’Donnell
Eddie & Brandi O’Leary
P.D. Brooks
Mary Lloyd & Randy Parks
Jay Paul
Frank & Caren Payne
Maria Purcell
Jacki Quinlan
Red Gates Foundation
Andi & Brian Redmond
Richmond Region Tourism
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Jeff & Cathie Ricketts
RMC Events
Walter & Susan Robertson
Carrie & Doug Roth
Lisa Ruggles
S.B. Cox
Dan & Cindy Schmitt
Megan & Wilson Schultz
Cullen & Rosemary Seltzer
Shamin Hotels
Ken & Brooke Shepard
Bob & Melinda Sledd
Katherine Sleeker
Brooks & Jennifer Smith
Ashlee & Travis Snider
Karrie Southall
Buck & Beth Stinson
Graham & Jackie Stoneburner
Mr. and Mrs. Fred T. Tattersall
Kirk & Kelly Tattersall
Bill & Barbara Tavenner
Desiree Tunnell
TowneBank
Brantley Tyndall
Jayne & Bobby Ukrop
Jim & Bobbie Ukrop
Jeff & Nicole Ukrop
Rob & Shannon Ukrop
Lilo & Scott Ukrop
Ted & Katie Ukrop
Ned & Laura Valentine
VHB
Tom Vozenilek & Betty Baugh Harrison
Tamara Wagner
Anne Waleski
Lee & Margie Warfield
Craig & Anita Waters
Lindsay & Coleman Wortham
Meghan Wright
Marlon Yander
Sam & Nikki Young
$20,000 AND ABOVE
Brookfield Foundation
The Robert G. Cabell III and Maude Morgan Cabell Foundation
The Cameron Foundation
Chesterfield County
City of Richmond
Community Foundation for a greater Richmond
Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation
Betsy & Don Garber
Dan Gecker & Liz Gibbs
Kirsti & Matt Goodwin
Roy & Charlotte Grier
The Wilbur Moreland Havens
Charitable Foundation
Henrico County
John Randolph Foundation
Nancy Jo & Chris Kantner
Kinsale Insurance
Liberty Mutual
Kathie & Steve Markel
The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation
Massey Foundation
Memorial Foundation for Children
Marietta McNeill Morgan & Samuel Tate
Morgan Jr. Trust
NextUp
Maria Purcell
Red Gates Foundation
Robins Foundation
Ann & Jerry Samford
William H. John G. Emma Scott Foundation
Jayne & Bobby Ukrop
Anne Waleski
$10,000-$19,999
Altria Companies Employee Community Fund
The Robert Leroy Atwell and Lucy Williams Atwell Foundation
The Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Inc.
The Barrington Family Foundation
Margaret & Al Broaddus
Davis Elkins Charitable Foundation Trust
Enact
Hanover County
Moses D. Nunnally, Jr. Charitable Trust B
P.D. Brooks Traffic Control
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Lindsay & Coley Wortham
YMCA of Greater Richmond
$5,000-$9,999
BDH Foundation
Bob & Liz Blue
Louise B. Cochrane Charitable Foundation
Kay & Bryan Cram
Cushman & Wakefield |Thalhimer
Greater Richmond Partnership
Rob & Gloria Hargett
Heritage Wealth Advisors
Hirschler
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Inspired Moments, LLC
Burke & Gay King
KPMG
McGuireWoods
Sam & Heather Mintz
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Lisa Ruggles
Cindy & Dan Schmitt
Kelly & Kirk Tattersall
TowneBank
Jim & Bobbie Ukrop
Ted & Katie Ukrop
The Universal Leaf Foundation
Ned & Laura Valentine
Virginia Walkability Action Institute
Williams Mullen
$4,999-$2,500
Allianz Partners
Bill & Lauri Berry
Commonwealth Event Company
Susan Dunford Freeman
Suzanne Gardner
Hourigan
Emily S. and Coleman A. Hunter
Charitable Trust
Keech leGrand & Barry Hayes
Gill & Jon Lugbill
Kim MacLeod
Don Mosmon
Eddie & Brandi O'Leary
Jay Paul
PGA Tour Charities
Walter & Susan Robertson
Ethan Seltzer
Shamin Hotels
Ken & Brooke Shepard
Sledd Family Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond
Brooks & Jennifer Smith
Barbara J. Thalhimer & William B. Thalhimer, Jr. Family Fund of the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond
Truist
Tom Vozenilek & Betty Baugh Harrison
Andrea Wassmer
Anita & Craig Waters
Wells Fargo Bank
$2,499-$1,000
3north
Lashrecse Aird
America Walks
Astyra
Andrew & Hilary Blanchard
Lissy Bryan
Tom & Daisy Byrd
Andy & Jennifer Clark
Eric & Megan Cone
Paul & Jennifer Croston
Will Dixon
John & Mary Doswell
John & Maggie Forrest
GroundForceIT
Thomas Jefferson III
Lydia Johnson
Gail & Earl Johnson
Al Kidd
Bobby & Barbara Jean Long
Anne H. and John L. McElroy III Family Fund
Boodie McGurn
The Monument Sports Group
Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia
Rainey & Kile Niklawski
Mary Lloyd & Randy Parks
Frank & Caren Payne
Alan Pietruszkiewicz & Heidi Braun
Ray & Georgia Pollard
Andi & Brian Redmond
Richmond Region Tourism
Jeff & Cathie Ricketts
RMC Events
Carrie & Doug Roth
Rosemary & Cullen Seltzer
Shake Shack Enterprises, LLC
J.R. Smith
Buck Stinson
Jeff & Nicole Ukrop
Rob & Shannon Ukrop
Scott & Lilo Ukrop
VHB, Inc.
Tamara Wagner
Lee & Margie Warfield
Westminster Canterbury Richmond
$999-$500
Michael Abatzis
John Bryan
Kelly & Danny Clark
Frederic Cox, Jr.
Dominion Payroll
James & Maureen Dougherty
EAB
David & Mary Gilligan
GO Race Productions
Lawrence & Freddie Gray
Brad Hammer
Harman Claytor Corrigan & Wellman
HCA Virginia Health System
Cameron Herndon
Mike & Sally Hunnicutt
Loucks Family Foundation
David & Patricia Lyons
Scott & Kathryn McConnell
Michelle & Will Mertens
Resort Hotel Association
Elisabeth Schricker
Graham & Jackie Stoneburner
July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024
$499-$100
FOUNDING MEMBERS FROM 1991
Richard A. Hollander
Murray J. Janus
Frank A. Jett, Jr.
Reginald N. Jones
Ronald E. Jones
James E. Kane, Jr.
Robert H. Keiter
Alan R. Kern
Philip W. Klaus, Jr.
Harry R. Lankenau
J.C. Lansing
W.F. LaVecchia
J.W. Lawler
Samuel W. Lee
Dave Martin
W.E. Massey, Jr.
Henry Lawrence Maxwell
J. Gary Maynard, Jr. G. Gilmer Minor III
Michael Morchower
Read M. Northen, Jr.
Jack Null
Phillips E. Patton
James Fain Peebles
Troy Peery
Mike Plant N. Jones
Robert E. Pogue
Ronie C. Powell
Thomas
Robert H. Pratt, Jr.
Lawrence H. Rauppius
Dr. William F. Reames
David P. Reynolds
Randolph N. Reynolds J. Sargeant Reynolds,
