The Board of Directors of JUST TRYAN IT is pleased to announce the winner of the 2023 Carrie Sloan Norry Founders Award. This award is presented annually to an individual or individuals who demonstrate strength of character, passion, determination, empathy and dedication to those impacted by cancer. These are qualities that Carrie has demonstrated throughout her life and especially as the Founding Executive Director of JUST TRYAN IT. This year the Board is proud to bestow this honor on Olivia Duvall.

Olivia and her family were integral in helping to start the JUST TRYAN IT race in Alexandria, VA. Olivia and her sister raced and volunteered at those races, building a team from St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School (SSSAS). When she entered high school, she recruited a team of racers from SSSAS’s lower school and led them in training workouts to prepare them for the race. She was a huge help on race weekends, spending all of Saturday and Sunday helping to set up the course and cheer on racers. In 2020, Olivia recruited a SSSAS team to participate in the virtual race together.

Olivia’s commitment to JUST TRYAN IT did not end when she graduated from high school. In the fall of 2021, she started the official Wake Forest University JTI Club, drafting a mission statement, by-laws and securing approval from University administrators. The Wake Forest JTI Club (WFU-JTI) initiated a partnership with Wake Forest Baptist Brenner Children’s Hospital. Olivia and her club members hold dine outs, candy drives and letter writing campaigns to raise awareness and funds to support families fighting cancer in North Carolina. A group from the WFU JTI Club traveled to Chapel Hill to volunteer for both the 2022 and 2023 Kids Triathlons. To date, the Wake Forest JTI Club has raised over $5,000 for pediatric cancer families and Olivia has extended JTI to a new community of supporters.

As this year’s award recipient, Olivia is a testament to the impact participating in one JTI Kids Triathlon can have on a young person. JUST TRYAN IT lit the spark and she has fed and strengthened that fire over the past 8 years.

“I remember meeting Olivia and her mom when we were looking to expand JUST TRYAN IT to Alexandria, VA 8 years ago. Olivia was all-in from our first meeting and worked to make JTI-AX a reality. Through all our years there, she was a force recruiting racers, soliciting sponsors, and bringing great energy on race day. To see that she has taken JTI to Wake Forest and continues to dedicate her talent and energy to JTI is remarkable. Olivia is a wonderful choice for this award and I am humbled and inspired by her dedication.” – Carrie Sloan Norry, Founder of JUST TRYAN IT

Thank you Olivia, for all you have done and continue to do to help families with a child in cancer treatment and congratulations on your 2023 Carrie Sloan Norry Founders Award!