The Sweet Julia Grace Foundation (SJGF) marked its 10th anniversary with a spectacular 5th Annual Field Day Fundraiser on May 18, 2024. The event brought the community together in an inspiring display of resilience and support for the foundation’s “Raindancers.”
Despite a rainy day, the event at The Farm Brewery at Broad Run was a resounding success. It emphasized the foundation’s motto of rising to challenges, just as the Raindancers do daily.
Over 150 volunteers and nearly 50 sponsors contributed to the event’s success, including event, vendor, and prize sponsors. The Farm Brewery at Broad Run, a long-time partner of SJGF, generously provided the space at no charge and even renamed their best-selling blonde ale to “Dance in the Rain Ale” in honor of the occasion.
This year, 70 teams comprising 6-10 players aged 18 and older participated in the event. Pre-event registration for sponsors sold out in under an hour, highlighting the excitement and support from the community. The Field Day featured 10 games, a mix of classic schoolyard activities with unique twists. Participants engaged in activities ranging from the potato sack race, leapfrog, and egg relay to more whimsical challenges like a donut-themed game, a t-shirt relay, a dizzy bat, and a blindfolded pool noodle game.
The event was a joyous spectacle, with spectators enjoying the sight of adults embracing their inner children, competing, and laughing together. The atmosphere was filled with cheers and encouragement as the teams vied for the coveted “King of the Field” title. This year, the honor went to “Alex’s Dawg Pound,” a team composed of friends of Alex Green, one of SJGF’s beloved Raindancers who passed away in 2016.
The event raised over $60,000, demonstrating the community’s unwavering support for SJGF. The top three teams, as well as winners in categories such as Best Costume, Best Team Spirit, and Best Effort, received prizes donated by local businesses, including Vertical Rock, RXR3 Recovery Lounge, Heroic Axe, Studio B Salon, Bobby McKeys, and Rock Box, among others.
SJGF, founded in 2014, and based in Bristow, by Sara Knight in honor of Sara and husband Jason Knight’s daughter Julia, who passed away in 2013 due to complications of a rare disease called I-cell. Julia lived 12 beautiful years, inspiring everyone who knew her, read about her, and loved her.