one by one®: Nate the Great Eight Race
April Scott launched Nate the Great Eight Race as a way to encourage healthy living in her Oklahoma City community and to celebrate the memory of her teenage son, Nate, who took his life in 2019. “We created the race as a legacy for my son,” she said. “He was extremely healthy. He loved animals. He was an incredible person.”
Scott is an avid runner and is part of a larger running community in Oklahoma City. That’s why, when she wanted to create a gathering in honor of Nate, a running event was the perfect celebration. “It’s a day that’s super fun. It’s such a positive experience,” Scott said.
Building a tradition
The first Nate the Great Eight Race had been planned for 2020 but, because of the pandemic was postponed until 2021. The event, now four years old, includes an 8K race, an 8-mile race and a combination of the two, which adds up to a half-marathon. There’s also a fun walk to kick off the day. The inaugural race drew about 180 participants, and it has grown every year since. The 2024 event, held in late March, had upwards of 250 people. “It’s probably as big as we want it,” Scott said. “We want it to still feel very personal.”
Running and walking activities are open to people with all skill levels—plus dogs. Nate loved dogs, so they’ve been included in the festivities since the start. “We have doggy finisher prizes,” Scott said. “They’re little bandanas.” A portion of funds raised from the race go to an animal adoption organization.
Race signage adds to aesthetics
The nonprofit’s eight-person board of directors—which includes Scott—used a one by one® grant to purchase race signage that marked turnarounds on the course. “Grants like this are so important because we are a very small organization,” she said. “We have sponsors from around the community, but we use a lot of that funding for permitting and officers and photographers and so much else. We wouldn’t have this great signage without the grant.”
With four events under the organization’s belt, Scott said everyone is happy with how its grown and that it brings people together for a day of smiles and exercise. “We’re so proud of it,” she said. “It’s the only race I’ve ever organized and we’re really proud of it.”
A note from Cheryl
Nate the Great Eight Race brings a community together and provides a wonderful experience for everyone involved. We were thrilled to help its organizers purchase race signage to mark the course, promote the event and celebrate the legacy of its namesake. If you’re interested in a one by one grant, visit onebyone.4imprint.com.