The Story Behind The Race Honorary Chairs for the event are Tommy and Mary McAuley, the father/daughter racing team that has won hearts all across the Mid-South as they have participated in running events and triathlons. Six year old Mary McAuley has cerebral palsy, a developmental disability that prevents her from using many of the major muscle groups in her body. According to her father, "Mary uses a wheelchair. She can't talk, can't control her head, and can't use her arms or legs, but she is able to do many things with assistance. That's what our racing is about . . . drawing attention to the needs of people of all ages with disabilities like Mary's, and letting everyone know that no matter what your disability is, there is something you can do. Our race history together so far is 4 triathlons and 4 5K's."

Equipment Exchange Program

UCP provides free durable medical and adaptive equipment to people throughout Tennessee, regardless of their diagnosis. UCP seeks new and gently used durable medical equipment to re-cycle the donated items to individuals who have little or no insurance and no other resources to obtain the equipment they need to live their lives as independently as possible.

The UCP Durable Medical and Adaptive Equipment Exchange Program enables individuals with disabilities and their families to become self-sufficient through the provision of durable medical and adaptive equipment. The Equipment Exchange first emerged through the gratitude and concern of families who received equipment for their children through UCP's Barry Dean Fulton Special Needs Fund. This included items such as wheelchairs, walkers, prone standers, wheelchair lifts, and augmentative communication devices. As their children outgrew the equipment, parents were returning it to UCP, asking to make it available to other families. Over the years, the Equipment Exchange experienced a quiet but steady growth as new families and service providers learned of its existence. The program was expanded to include individuals with all types of disabilities, and other organizations joined with UCP in collecting, storing and distributing equipment. The program is now one of UCP's hallmark services.