Father, son to cycle up mountains for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida

FORT WALTON BEACH – McKinley Lewis knows the value of a good mentor; he has one.

His father, Shane Lewis, instilled in him the work ethic and a love for endurance sports, such as cycling, triathlons and relay races. The two have trained and competed side by side as they saw challenging goals to completion – his father’s done more marathons than him, McKinley said with a laugh.

“Not everyone gets to do those sorts of things with their dad,” McKinley said. “I feel incredibly blessed to do those things with my dad.”

They will use their next feat, the Six Gap Century Ride, as a fundraiser for a local nonprofit based around mentorship, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida. The event is a grueling 103.8-mile bicycle ride in which cyclists climb more than 11,000 feet in elevation conquering six mountain gaps, or peaks.

The two have raised more than $2,000 and hope to raise $5,000 or more before the Sept. 27 Ride in Dahlonega, Georgia. To donate, visit gofundme.com/f/riding-to-benefit-big-brothers-big-sisters-of-nwfl.

McKinley is a big brother mentor.

He and his wife moved to Fort Walton Beach in May of 2019. He had friends involved with the organization when they lived in Tallahassee.

“Like most people, I was familiar with Big Brothers Big Sisters,” McKinley said. “It’s one of those organizations, like Goodwill, that is staple in so many communities and a lot of people are aware of but might not truly understand the impact of.”

He knows the impact now.

McKinley went through the thorough application process with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Northwest Florida and became a big brother in September of 2019. It’s been an incredible experience, he said.

“It is something that is both incredibly rewarding from a relationship standpoint and humbling to be able to be part of someone’s life,” McKinley said. “When you’re working and developing a relationship with a child, there are certainly challenges. You’re building a trust and you’re forming a bond that’s brand new to both people. It’s just been such an amazing experience to do that and grow close with someone and their family, and to play a small role in trying to help them succeed. It’s an almost indescribable, fulfilling experience.”

Shane is proud of his son’s involvement with the program, he said.

“It takes a special person to step out of normal life’s comfort zone and take on the responsibility of being a mentor to somebody you don’t know,” Shane said. “He got into this and just loves it. His little and he have a great relationship.”

It impresses Shane that McKinley makes time in his busy schedule for mentoring. He has a demanding job and two daughters, one who was born in July.

“It’s a long-term commitment,” Shane said. “This is a lifelong relationship you’re committing to.”

The father and son’s upcoming bicycle ride won’t mark the first time they have channeled their teamwork and athleticism into a charity. They ran the Ragnar Relay Series in 2013 with a team of six to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association.

“I still was in college, but it really stuck with me how great that was,” McKinley said. “That we were going to do this thing and spread awareness and funds for something that, for us, was personal. My great grandmother was diagnosed with, lived with and unfortunately passed away with Alzheimer’s, so we saw the toll it takes firsthand. It’s obviously a hereditary disease, so we were looking at it like, ‘Someone else in our family could have this. Let’s do something to help.’”

They raised $3,000 for research for a cure, Shane said.

The father-son duo have done the Six Gap Century Ride. More than 2,000 cyclists participate each year.

McKinley has been training religiously on his Peleton to prepare. Both are tracking their mileage and feel prepared.

"It can be pretty tough," Shane said. "Depending on the time of the year, in this case, it’s late September, it can be cold. It can be 100 degrees. It can be rainy. You have to deal with those things ... it’s actually a lot of fun."

“Like most endurance things, while you’re doing it, you’re saying, ‘This is so hard. Why did I do this? I’m never doing this again,’” McKinley said. “And then the next day after, you say, ‘When can I sign up again?’”

Shane, too, loves that he can share intense experiences like this with his son.

“When we do things like this, we stay together, which is a lot of fun,” Shane said. “And we help each other when we’re struggling. If you don’t do these things, you don’t get that interaction with your child. It’s a nice bond to have that.”

McKinley loves how their Ride will have a positive impact on an organization he supports.

"Like all organizations right now, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida is in a position where they haven’t been able to operate as they normally would," McKinley said. "We want to provide whatever support we can to them. It’s such as important organization that provides mentorship. We’re really overwhelmed by the support we’ve gotten."