Fishburne Key Club and Tour de Valley Team Up Again

(Waynesboro, VA) – On Saturday, over 140 cyclists converged on the scenic Shenandoah Valley to support a great cause while enjoying some fresh air and exercise. The Waynesboro Parks and Recreation Department’s twenty-eighth annual Tour de Valley (TDV) drew riders and cylcing enthusiasts from all around the state of Virginia who took on the Century or Metric Century Bike Ride.

Proceeds from this charity event will go to the Michael Woodard Memorial Scholarship Fund at Fishburne Military School. Fishburne and Tour de Valley first teamed up in 2014 when the school’s annual Michael’s Ride fundraiser combined forces with TDV. Michael’s Ride began in 2008 when Mario Woodard, father of Michael Woodard, FMS Class of 2007, began an annual Century Bike Ride to celebrate the life of his son and to raise money for the scholarship fund which now bears his name. Michael was tragically killed in an auto accident in the summer of 2007.

Eleven members of the Fishburne Military School’s Key Club turned out for the third consecutive year to lend their support to the event by operating the final comfort station on the course. Cadets at comfort station three worked in two shifts providing water, Gatorade, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit and other rider fuels. The cadets attending the station offered a friendly thank you and encouragement to the riders as they began their final leg of the race. 

Although the Caissons support numerous Parks and Recreation events throughout the year, such as Kite Day and the Fall Foliage Festival, this race in particular strikes a chord with the young men.

Mrs. Debbie Todd, Fishburne Miltiary School’s Key Club Advisor, noted that “our young men really rallied to this cause and put forth a great deal of effort. Although they were scheduled to work in two shifts, the second shift of Cadets opted to get up early and come out to lend a hand for the entire day.”

“We are so incredibly grateful to Waynesboro Parks and Recreation for keeping Michael’s Ride in their thoughts,” Todd went on, “and for providing us with an opportunity to serve the community in such a fun way.”

As riders came to the Greenville Comfort Station, they were greeted by Fishburne Cadets offering snacks, drinks and words of encouragement to help them cross the finish line. “A good number of returning cyclists remembered us from previous years,” noted Todd, “and they welcomed us back and repeatedly told us how much they appreciated the fact that we were volunteering. We thanked them for their participation as well.  There was a real feeling of mutual appreciation at our comfort station and just about everyone left smiling. It was a great day.”

Fishburne Military School is the oldest and smallest of all military schools for boys in Virginia. Its college-prep curriculum is built upon the structure of an Army JROTC program. FMS is designated as a JROTC Honor Unit with Distinction and may nominate qualified candidates to the United States Service Academies. Fishburne hosts one of only four Summer JROTC programs in the nation, accredited by US Army Cadet Command.