Finding Belonging Through Every Mile: The Impact of Kyle Pease Kids

Written By Kevin Enners

It’s not about the race shirts or the medals. It’s about empowerment and shared racing experiences in a community that champions inclusion and belonging. That simple, powerful belief lies at the heart of The Kyle Pease Foundation, where athletes of all abilities are embraced, encouraged, and celebrated. Through the joy of inclusive racing, this nonprofit creates a space where barriers fade and shared successes shine.

Staying true to this mission, KPF unveiled the Kyle Pease Kids program, which introduces children with disabilities to the world of inclusive sports from an early age, helping them build confidence, forge friendships, and discover a lifelong passion for racing.

“My goal is to connect people to a cause that celebrates ability, inclusion, and shared achievement,” says KPK’s Development Manager Gillian Sharp. “Every child deserves to be part of something that lifts them up.”

Thanks to the generous support of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, KPK has grown in remarkable ways. This funding has not only allowed the program to provide youth-sized racing chairs but has also strengthened its foundation, making programs more sustainable, community-driven, and accessible to more families.

Gillian plays a vital role in bringing this vision to life. Like many on the KPF team, she wears several hats. She builds meaningful relationships with families, donors, and community partners to ensure that every child can fully participate. While coordinating events, she champions youth-led fundraising efforts and is developing the KPK Ambassador Program. Her work helps create an environment where every athlete and teammate alike feels seen, supported, and celebrated.

“Watching a Kyle Pease Kid cross the finish line is more than just witnessing a race completed,” Gillian reflects. “It’s seeing barriers fall away, replaced by belief, joy, and determination. These athletes aren’t just crossing a line. They’re doing it on their terms, with a team that believes in them every step of the way.”

A vital part of KPK’s mission is building bridges with other youth programs, such as Girls on the Run Georgia and Kilometer Kids. Partnerships help extend the camaraderie beyond race day. These connections foster year-round events in the community. KPK provides spaces where every youth athlete and their family can grow relationships, creating moments where inclusion isn’t just talked about, it’s lived.

During a recent Kilometer Kids session at a local park, Gillian witnessed one of those unforgettable moments. A young push team arrived and was immediately welcomed by the club members — running, laughing, and fully participating side by side.

“It was a simple afternoon,” Gillian recalls, “but it spoke volumes about what true inclusion looks like when we get it right. Moments like that remind me why we do this — to keep creating spaces where every child feels like they belong.”

Join us in creating more opportunities for children and families with disabilities through
Kyle Pease Kids—our newest initiative, bringing inclusion to the next generation.

💙 Learn more.
🏃‍♀️ Get involved.
🙌 Be the reason someone crosses the finish line.

More Than a Race: Silverton Mortgage

How Silverton Mortgage Champions Inclusion with The Kyle Pease Foundation

Josh Moffitt, President of Silverton Mortgage, didn’t know a half marathon would change his life, but it did.  It was during the Atlanta Half Marathon a few years ago when he was not doing as well as he wanted to and was frustrated. Around mile four, he passed a group of athletes from The Kyle Pease Foundation who were clearly excited to be participating. It was then that Moffitt realized, "Nobody cares what time some middle-aged guy runs a half marathon in. What matters is community, joy and purpose.”

This realization was just the beginning. Moffitt’s inspiration turned into action when he reached out to KPF.  The following year, he ran the race again, but this time as a push-assist volunteer, helping a KPF athlete.  "It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done," he said.

Moffitt brought his passion for inclusion to Silverton Mortgage. Kyle and Brent, were invited to speak at company events. Eventually, the partnership strengthened when Silverton began to consider how to engage in a more meaningful way for both the athletes, their families and their team members. Silverton created a program focused on “bucket list races” that athletes wanted to participate in but could not due to financial limitations. The program sponsors athletes, their caregivers and families, so that everyone can attend and experience large races like the TCS New York City Marathon and the Marine Corp Marathon in Washington D.C. 

This partnership aligns perfectly with Silverton's mission to enrich the lives of their community, clients, and team members. "We believe in doing good," Moffitt stated. “Silverton, as a business, has a culture of inclusivity where we learn from different perspectives, the idea that no one is different, has always been here.”

A perfect example of Silverton’s culture is also evident in The Silverton Foundation. Founded by Moffitt in 2012, The Silverton Foundation’s mission is to “help families maintain their homes in a time of crisis” by providing mortgage and rent assistance to families who are in jeopardy of losing their homes due to ongoing life-saving medical treatments or long-term hospitalization.

Silverton’s collaboration with The Kyle Pease Foundation has recently expanded, providing new opportunities via a mentorship program for KPF Inclusive Employees.

"This is a pilot," Moffitt explained. "We’re trying things, seeing what works. But the goal is the same: true inclusion. Not just in moments — but in how we work, live, and grow together.”

When asked for his advice to other business leaders, Moffitt’s message is simple: "Do it. Get involved. Don’t overthink it. You don’t have to know the whole roadmap. Just take the first step.”  He stresses that the motivation should be about genuine impact, not optics. "Do it because you want to make an impact," he urged. "Start with what’s meaningful to you and your team — and build from there.”

Meet Ashley Herendon-Weeks: Championing Inclusion in the North Georgia Mountain

The Kyle Pease Foundation is thrilled to introduce Ashley Herendon-Weeks as our Community Outreach Coordinator for the North Georgia Region! With her passion for inclusion, deep community ties, and personal experience in adaptive sports, Ashley is the perfect fit to lead KPF’s mission in the tri-state area and North Georgia mountains.

Ashley’s journey with The Kyle Pease Foundation began in 2022, but the seeds were planted even earlier. “I first heard about KPF during a seating appointment for my son, Brady, at Scottish Rite,” she recalls. “But everything truly changed when one of our cross country coaches, Mike Cosentino, brought a KPF buggy for us to try. The rest is history!”

That history includes a powerful story of perseverance and possibility. When Brady was in 6th grade, he set a bold goal: to run cross country for his middle school. Not only did he follow through—he stuck with it all the way through high school, capping his senior season by competing in the Georgia High School Cross Country State Championship in Carrollton.

The impact of inclusion in sport has been transformative for both Ashley and Brady. “I played team sports my whole life and I know how meaningful it is to be a part of something bigger than yourself. But I quickly realized that doesn’t happen as often as it should especially in rural areas like North Georgia,” Ashley shares.

Now, as Community Outreach Coordinator, she’s on a mission to change that. Ashley brings her fire, faith, and family spirit to every effort. “We’ve known for a long time that we wanted to bring the same energy and opportunity KPF offers in Atlanta to our community in North Georgia and the surrounding tri-state area,” she says.

Ashley is especially excited to witness the joy and pride families will feel as they see their athletes cross finish lines and shine on race days. “Seeing a parent watch their child from the sidelines, most for the first time, and watching each athlete become the most important part of our team during a race. It explodes my heart.”

So far, her favorite part has been the team building. “So many people and families are excited for this new adventure. The athletes, parents, volunteers, and pushers are primed and ready to push beyond limits!”

Outside of KPF, Ashley runs Refuge Fitness, a fitness center in Blue Ridge. When she’s not training or planning KPF events, you’ll find her spending time with her husband Stacey and their two boys, Brady and Boyd. And if you're ever looking for a laugh—ask her about her very real fear of brown crickets and crawly critters!

Please join us in welcoming Ashley to her new role! With her leadership, North Georgia is about to experience the joy, power, and life-changing impact of inclusion in sport.

Spreading Joy Through Motion: Meet KPF Utah

In 2014, a spark was lit in the heart of Utah — and it all started with a conversation. Michelle and Joe Guttenplan met Brent Pease while training at Dynamo Multisport in Atlanta. There, they first heard the inspiring story of Brent and Kyle Pease.

“We knew we wanted to work with Brent as our coach first,” Joe said. “As our relationship grew, we asked how we could help the foundation.” Knowing that Joe and Michelle were moving to Utah, Brent suggested launching a KPF chapter there.

Inspired by Kyle and Brent’s mission, Joe and Michelle set out to bring something powerful and lasting to their new home state.

KPF Utah comprises six push-assist athletes and a dedicated group of volunteer runners. While the overall roster includes 50–80 runners, a core team of approximately 25 consistently supports and races alongside adaptive athletes.

“We loved hearing Kyle and Brent's story, and we were excited to create a similar community in Utah,” says Freyja Robinson, Race Coordinator for KPF Utah.

As an extension of the Atlanta-based KPF, KPF Utah shares a simple but powerful mission: to give assisted athletes the chance to feel the wind on their faces, experience the excitement of the starting line, and celebrate the joy of crossing the finish line — side by side with their teammates and able-bodied participants.

Built on grit, heart, and a strong sense of community, KPF Utah may be small, but its spirit is immense. Joe and Michelle serve as Team Captains, while Freyja manages nearly every aspect of operations — race coordination, athlete-runner pairings, scheduling, logistics, and relationships with local race organizers. Her husband, Shad Robison — lovingly dubbed the “Equipment King” — keeps the gear in top shape and leads race-day setup with help from dedicated team parents.

“We were grateful to meet Freyja and Shad,” Joe said. “They’ve been essential to the Utah chapter, managing races, working with families and volunteers, and really driving everything forward.”

With a state covering 84,899 square miles, Utah ranks as the 11th largest in the country. That geography presents a unique challenge — athletes are spread far and wide, but it hasn’t slowed the team down. Instead, it’s become part of their identity. KPF Utah brings races to all corners of the state, ensuring no athlete is left behind.

“In Utah, we have a huge running community, and we love how willing they are to donate their bodies and hearts to our in-chair athletes,” Freyja says. “The running community has embraced our team, and it’s the best feeling ever.”

KPF Utah thrives through visibility and word of mouth. They grow by showing up at races, spreading joy in action, and sharing their story. The energy, the smiles, the cheers on race day are infectious, but getting to this point took determination.

“Lots of conversations with parents and running groups. We always share our events on Facebook,” Freyja says. “We’re working to attend even more events, so we can tell our team’s story and help more families commit to racing and having fun.”

KPF Utah may be small, but their impact is growing every day. If you’re in Utah and want to be part of something life-changing — whether you're an athlete, runner, volunteer, or just someone who wants to make a difference, reach out. There’s always room on the team because … together, we race as one.

Fun Run for the Community, Everlasting Impact for Inclusion

Spark 5K 2025 with The Kyle Pease Foundation

On the evening of May 8, 2025, nearly 700 individuals gathered in Piedmont Park for the Spark 5K—a high-energy event hosted by Roark Capital and directed by The Kyle Pease Foundation (KPF). What began as a fun community run quickly transformed into a powerful celebration of inclusion, movement, and connection.

As the sun set over the Atlanta skyline, athletes of all abilities took to the course. More than 500 participants crossed the finish line, many alongside KPF’s 25 Athletes—filling the park with cheers, laughter, and inspiring moments.

All race proceeds will benefit two incredible organizations: The Kyle Pease Foundation, which creates opportunities for inclusion through sports for athletes with disabilities, and Malcolm Mitchell’s Share the Magic Foundation, which promotes literacy and inspires a love of reading among underserved youth.

Thank you to Roark Capital, the passionate volunteers, and every participant who helped make the Spark 5K more than a race—it was a movement toward a more inclusive and empowered future.

Pictures Coming Soon!