Valley Park soccer field was the site of the 2025 Sweet Julia Grace Foundation’s Walk-N-Roll in the State of West Virginia. The Sweet Julia Grace Foundation serves families in Putnam and Kanawha Counties, as well as families in Northern Virginia. The SJGF organization grants wishes that bring joy and change lives, fill in gaps other services are unable to fill, and provide support with day-to-day needs for families going through the unimaginable with their child.

The unimaginable happened to Sara and Jason Knight in 2013 when their daughter Julia passed away 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.

SJGF was founded by Sara, a Hurricane High School graduate, in Julia’s honor. The Sweet Julia Grace Foundation Walk-N-Roll is an inclusive fundraiser where children with serious medical issues and complex special needs are the stars of the show — a joyful celebration of inclusion and community. Numerous volunteers in the community and beyond were on hand for the event on Saturday, August 9, to cheer and provide encouragement to children and families who are experiencing that which the Knights endured more than a decade ago.

Hurricane Mayor Scott Edwards, the Marshall University Cheerleaders, and the Dirty Birds baseball team mascot were present to cheer the children and their families as they walked and rolled to and through the finish line in wheelchairs, riding adaptive bikes, using gait trainers, scooters, or strollers — all while raising awareness and funds for foundation. Every child received a medal and got to enjoy the Family Fun Day after the walk.

The children blessed, celebrated, and loved in honor of Julia Grace are lovingly called “Raindancers” because despite the storms they face every day, they have learned to “Dance in the Rain” as Julia Grace did.