Alabama Town Honors Student With 24th Annual Scholarship 5K

For nearly a quarter century, the small town of Goshen, Alabama has turned grief into generosity, one 5K at a time.

The 24th annual Tomaras Deveridge Scholarship 5K happens September 26 at Goshen First Baptist Church. Every runner who laces up at 9 a.m. helps send a local student to college.

Tommy and Joyce Deveridge started the scholarship fund in 2002 to honor their son Tomaras Lamon Deveridge. What began as a family's way to process loss has grown into a community tradition that opens doors for students across Pike and Crenshaw counties.

Registration costs $25 online or $30 on race day starting at 8 a.m. The course starts at 304 Greenville Avenue, and prizes await the top three finishers, plus anyone who breaks a course record.

The Ripple Effect

The scholarship applications reach guidance counselors throughout the region each year. Students pursuing higher education can apply through their local high schools, creating opportunities that might not otherwise exist in these rural Alabama communities.

The fund represents something bigger than one family's story. It shows how a community chooses to remember by investing in young people's futures.

Even non-runners can contribute through direct donations to the scholarship fund. Every dollar raised goes directly to helping students afford college, proving that loss can transform into lasting legacy.

Twenty-four years later, Goshen still shows up every September to run, walk, or donate, turning a single tragedy into countless opportunities for the next generation.