Scholarships

In 2020, moved by his personal experiences participating in the rides, veteran Bike Adventure rider Mark Murphy approached us with a novel idea: creating a scholarship fund that would help more people get their first taste of our rides and raise up future leaders. We said, “Great!”

Each scholarship is funded by donors to help new riders meet their fundraising requirement and to assist with internships and support. 

When you apply for a scholarship, you may apply for up to 50% of the fundraising requirement as well as for a bicycle! (More on the bike below.) 

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, so it is best to apply early. 

Scholarship Requirements:

  • First-time rider OR Age 26 and under
  • Your portion of the match must be majority fundraised rather than self-paid.

Preference will be given to ideal candidates described by the following:

  • Age 26 and under
  • Demonstrated interest in volunteering or serving 
  • In need of fundraising assistance
  • An ideal rider (attitude, interests, athletic aptitude)

Preference is given to riders who intend to participate in an entire multi-week summer ride rather than 1-2 week rides or segments.

Scholarship applicants may also apply for a bicycle to use for training and on their ride with us! The bicycles are limited to Whole Way riders on events of 4+ weeks who do not have another suitable bicycle for their ride. How it works:

  • Bicycles are used, good condition road- or touring-style bikes that we receive through friends who manage or own bicycle shops. They are fitted for size, but not further customized.
  • Bicycles can be picked up or shipped to riders after they have registered and reached $1,000 raised.
  • Maintenance or replacement parts that may be needed along the way are at the rider’s expense, as if it was their bike.
  • At the end of their ride with us, the rider may opt to purchase the bike for $300 or may keep it for free if they surpass their fundraising requirement by $1,000 or more. 

The first step is to apply for the scholarship.

All first-time Fuller Center Bike Adventure riders are welcome to apply for a scholarship here. It’s a simple application! Finalists will be contacted for a brief video interview.

Your application is for all scholarships — no need to complete a separate application for each one.

Scholarships are created and funded through donations. Since scholarship funds are spent down over time, new donations help to keep them going. You may donate to any of the scholarship funds below, or send a check (instructions here) by adding the scholarship name in the memo section.

Each scholarship is named in honor of someone.

Yes! With a gift of $500 or more a potential scholarship will be listed here, and once it reaches $2,000 or more it becomes an official scholarship for that year’s rides. The scholarship fund may be named for you or someone you choose, subject to FCBA approval. Not only will a scholarship help to introduce someone to the FCBA family, it will help a family have a decent home in which to live.  

The official scholarships will be honored through inclusion on our website, jerseys (if funds received before October 1), trailer and in other ways.

Funds raised through a scholarship will not count towards a rider’s requirement, but the founder of that scholarship fund will receive credit towards their all-time totals.  

2022 Scholarships

Tap any name to jump to that scholarship.

Click any image to jump to that scholarship.

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Phil Gash Scholarship

Phil Gash was an important part of Fuller Center Bike Adventure rides for many years. He always took an interest in new riders, particularly the young ones, and was always willing to share his significant knowledge of cycling, geography, the art of beer, you name it. In addition to riding with us, Phil was always willing to sacrifice his ride to make sure our routes were well marked, and rest stops well stocked. We always looked forward to Phil’s rest stops as he usually had V8 and sometime when it was sweltering….ice cream!!

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Grayson Cloy Scholarship

Grayson Cloy attended Mill Springs Academy where he was a role model, a leader, an honor roll student, and friend to many. He was an avid outdoorsman, photographer, and adventurer who enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He was also a naturally gifted cyclist who competed and excelled in the sport he loved.

Grayson unfortunately died in a car accident on December 3, 2021 at 16 years old, but his legacy now can live on through this scholarship.

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Clarence Gilles Scholarship

Clarence Gilles has been a power influence in our lives as a mentor, boss, but most importantly, as a Christian guide helping us navigate life. Thanks, Pops for all you’ve done, this scholarship is a token of our love.

In 2014, Clarence published On My Way, which is a book on Christian self-reflection. Few people think about the path to heaven and what is asked of them by God. In the book, the Holy Spirit uses the circles illustration to help each person determine exactly where they currently are in their “Walk with Christ,” and how far they have yet to go. Clarence discovered that more was expected than he thought, and you will too.

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Joan and Walter Hartman Memorial Scholarship

Walter and Joan Hartman will always be remembered as loving parents with big hearts. Joan passed away in 2016 and Walter passed away this year. After raising 5 children of their own, their hearts still had enough love left to foster, and go on to adopt, 4 children. Two of these children have special needs and nobody else wanted them, yet they welcomed with open arms.

They lived their lives in service to others. Joan always loved children and became like another grandma to many of the children she cared for.

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Andrew W. Nuttall Scholarship

Andrew was a much beloved tennis player, father, husband, son, neighbor, Green Bay Packer & Wisconsin Badger fan, jokester, and friend. He was born in Beloit, Wisconsin in 1960 and attended University of Wisconsin-Osh Kosh earning a BBA in Finance going on to earn an MBA at Georgia State University. Andrew had executive leadership positions with notable firms such as Georgia Pacific, Kellogg’s, and finally as Vice President of Customer Marketing at Tree Top, Inc. He passed away peacefully in December of 2019, surrounded by his family.

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Terry Hollis Tuck Scholarship

Terry “Coach” Hollis Tuck, 71, of Clayton, Ga., took his last bicycle ride on Monday, Feb. 17, 2020.

He was an avid cyclist, a devoted husband, father, and PaPa, and friend, cheerleader, and coach to everyone he met. Terry loved connecting and sharing all of his loves with everyone he met through pictures, support, and frequent Facebook posts.

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Pastor Arne M. Walker Scholarship

Pastor Walker is a passionate Lutheran confessing Christian who has dedicated his life to his congregations. Pastor Walker imbued his youth groups with love for Christ and adventure frequently taking them on primitive explorations of the Canadian boundary waters or on long-distance cycling. He incorporated many of the same Christ centered principals (Word, Fellowship, and Service) that FCBA would later also use. Pastor was an early supporter of Millard and Linda Fuller, renaming our youth group Koinonia in their honor.

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FCBA Scholarship Application

Phil Gash

In Memoriam

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Phil Gash was an important part of Fuller Center Bike Adventure rides for many years. He always took an interest in new riders, particularly the young ones, and was always willing to share his significant knowledge of cycling, geography, the art of beer, you name it. In addition to riding with us, Phil was always willing to sacrifice his ride to make sure our routes were well marked, and rest stops well stocked. We always looked forward to Phil’s rest stops as he usually had V8 and sometimes when it was sweltering….ice cream!!

We honor our great friend by dedicating this scholarship for young riders in his name. We’ll miss you on the road Philly-boy but you will be FOREVER in our hearts! 

Philip Ward Gash (known as Butch or Phil) was born in the small Missouri town of Bonne Terre, where his ancestors settled in the late 1800s. It was 1940, in the WWII era, and his father was in the Air Force. Phil spent his childhood at multiple sides of the U.S.: Washington, D.C.; Anchorage, AK; Denver, CO; and Calexico, California. Moving during his formative years likely spurred his yearning to travel later in life. He finished high school in Calexico CA, graduated college from UC Berkley, and then completed a PhD in physics at the University of Connecticut in 1970. He started teaching full time at Shasta College in Redding, California, immediately upon graduation, and later became a full professor at California State University Chico in 1986, where he taught for 25 years. During this time, he completed a sabbatical at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, summer work at a Navy base in Ridgecrest, CA, published several articles, and presented often at international conferences. He married his college girlfriend in 1964, had three children, and raised them in Redding, CA.

Phil’s cycling began with local rides in Northern California around 1995. The free summers in between school years teaching provided a great opportunity for riding. The frequency of rides grew until in 2007, when he rode the BRAN in NE, the RRIBT in ND, GRABAW in WI, the RAGBRAI in IA, Northwoods in MN, SAGBRAW in WI, and CANDISC in ND. He rode most in the summer, often planning multi-day trips with friends either along the coast of California or along the Lewis and Clark Trail. The frequent riding continued for years, with breaks to spend time abroad in Chile. Over time, he found it more enjoyable to let someone else plan the rides and arrange accommodations—hence his interest in the Fuller Center. He especially enjoyed the comradery and friendships made during these rides, retelling his family stories of making coffee, boiling eggs, sleeping in church pews and gymnasiums, and helping fix up homes. He undoubtedly found more enjoyment with the Fuller Center than any of his other rides. In total, he crossed the U.S. from shore to shore 5 times between 2000-2020. He considered this feat one of his proudest accomplishments.

In loving memory of

Grayson Cloy

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Grayson Cloy attended Mill Springs Academy where he was a role model, a leader, an honor roll student, and friend to many. He was an avid outdoorsman, photographer, and adventurer who enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He was also a naturally gifted cyclist who competed and excelled in the sport he loved.

Grayson unfortunately died in a car accident on December 3, 2021 at 16 years old, but his legacy now can live on through this scholdarhip.

Grayson began his cycling journey with mountain bike racing with Georgia Cycling Association on the Blankets Creek Composite Mountain Bike Organizations team. As Grayson honed his cycling skills, we branched out into the many facets of cycling, putting his many hours and miles of training to concentrated more on endurance, road and gravel type events. He raced in Mountain Goat Adventures 3/6 hour mountain bike and gravel races and Chainbuster Racing events. Grayson, in his typical style, raced his first cyclocross in 2021 at the Georgia State Cyclocross Championship… and made the podium! One of Grayson’s crowning achievements was his first Six Gap Centuryt in 2021 in which he completed the full 100 mile mountainous course in 5 hours and 33 minutes, finishing 40th out of 1,781 participants. Grayson completed these amazing events with only three years of cycling under his belt. He was simply, a natural.

Grayson’s generous and giving heart touched so many lives. He will be fondly remembered for his kindness, compassionate personality, and gentle smile that “lit up the room.” He was and will always be a shining light in our lives.

In December, there was a Candle Light Vigil at Grayson’s school, Mill Springs Academy. It was a beautiful tribute to Grayson. Students and staff spoke about Grayson and told sweet stories. Inspirational and funny; He was a great student, a determined and accomplished athlete and a friend to all, ”Grayson has made us a better school”. Everyone prayed and surrounded his family with love and support, it was heartwarming in the midst of so much heartbreak and it’s one more step to healing.

One of his classmates at Mill Springs Academy had this to say;

“Grayson. Man, life hits hard sometimes. You were a good friend- no, a great one. You were humble, and you had a plan for your life. You said you’d go to a trade school and become a welder. You were my friend, and I’m lucky to have known you. I promise I’ll remember everything. I’ll remember when you just got second in the state in a biking competition (you knew I didn’t understand it much) a few weeks ago, and how you were the only other person who understood what it was like to work like I did to lose weight. I’ll remember how you laughed your way through ceramics, and math, and were one of the most stubborn people I know. I’ll remember how the ceramics project you never wanted to make turned out to be your favorite. I’ll think about how you brought the life and energy to this world that we so very much needed. I’ll cherish every memory that I have of every day I got. I’ll never forget.”

Grayson is survived by his parents, Bob Cloy and Jenny & Tim Haskew; his loving brother, Andrew; his grandparents, Bob and Jan Vanden Heuvel; as well as a large extended family members.

Clarence Gilles

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Clarence Gilles has been a power influence in our lives as a mentor, boss, but most importantly, as a Christian guide helping us navigate life. Thanks, Pops for all you’ve done, this scholarship is a token of our love. 

In 2014, Clarence published On My Way, which is a book on Christian self-reflection. Few people think about the path to heaven and what is asked of them by God. In the book, the Holy Spirit uses the circles illustration to help each person determine exactly where they currently are in their “Walk with Christ,” and how far they have yet to go.  Clarence discovered that more was expected than he thought, and you will too. 

 Clarence is a practicing Catholic. His spiritual journey began while on a 3 day Cum Christo weekend in Columbus, Ohio. It was a non-denominational weekend similar to Cursillo, the Walk to Emmaus or Tres Dias.  During that weekend he experienced the power of the Holy Spirit. Afterwards he struggled spiritually for some time before committing himself to the Lord. 

Clarence’s charisms are that of teacher and encourager, which served him well as a sales manager for major corporations. His goal was always to focus on the whole person.  

It was after retiring, that one his former associates asked Clarence, “How can I get to know Christ better?”  Clarence then turned to the Holy Spirit in prayer and was led to drawing the circles, each color representing a deeper commitment to God.  When finished, he explained the meaning of each circle in the drawing.  The circles helped his friend know exactly where he was in his faith walk and what his next steps should be. No further discussion was needed. Clarence also found out where he himself was on the road, and what he needed to do to become one with Christ. This led to the writing of the book, On My Way, which is available on Amazon. It is an easy read, but very insightful.  Every person on earth is represented in this book.  The Holy Spirit, Clarence’s Ghost writer, speaks to us on every page. Like the Bible, each time it is read more is revealed to us.  

www.onmywaytoheaven.net

Joan and Walter Hartman Memorial Scholarship

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Walter and Joan Hartman will always be remembered as loving parents with big hearts. Joan passed away in 2016 and Walter passed away this year. After raising 5 children of their own, their hearts still had enough love left to foster, and go on to adopt, 4 children. Two of these children have special needs and nobody else wanted them, yet they welcomed with open arms.

They lived their lives in service to others. Joan always loved children and became like another grandma to many of the children she cared for. She often helped out at the church daycare. She watched someone’s children when an emergency arose or simply to bless a family with a need. Walter mowed the grass at church and drove the church van to pick up those who couldn’t drive to church. Walter used his understanding of finances to help many people who needed guidance. Walter and Joan were involved with Jessica and Friends Community and Human Life Services locally and supported many charities both national and worldwide. Both Joan and Walter always had a smile on their face and a kind word for everyone they encountered. They dedicated their lives to loving and serving those around them in community.

This scholarship is created in their memory that it might inspire others to live a life of service.

Andrew W. Nuttall

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Andrew was a much beloved tennis player, father, husband, son, neighbor, Green Bay Packer & Wisconsin Badger fan, jokester, and friend. He was born in Beloit, Wisconsin in 1960 and attended University of Wisconsin-Osh Kosh earning a BBA in Finance going on to earn an MBA at Georgia State University. Andrew had executive leadership positions with notable firms such as Georgia Pacific, Kellogg’s, and finally as Vice President of Customer Marketing at Tree Top, Inc. He passed away peacefully in December of 2019, surrounded by his family.

Andrew loved to make people laugh and had a wicked sense of humor. He could deliver a one liner with a straight face. We knew something inappropriately hilarious was about to come when he had that twinkle in his eye before he said it. Andrew loved his job. He enjoyed challenges. He planted an acre orchard of apples and pears so he could make hard cider as a hobby. Also, he LOVED tennis and was an incredible player. His tennis skills were the subject of great mirth for his Atlanta based tennis teammates who named many of his special shots “the dropper”, “the no look” and especially “the ripper” where he applied all sorts of unneeded power with his southpaw delivery for the tennis equivalent of shock and awe. He loved to travel with his wife Laura and they went on many adventures around the world.

Mainly, Andrew loved his family. He wanted so desperately to stay. He worried he wouldn’t be remembered. We know it is impossible to forget him or not to grieve the fact he should still be present on this earth with the joy he had for life! We will tell his stories and speak his name as much and as often as we can. The memories keep him “present” here with us. We were all incredibly lucky to have had him in our lives.

This scholarship will keep his memory warm in our hearts.

Terry "Coach" Hollis Tuck

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Terry “Coach” Hollis Tuck, 71, of Clayton, Ga., took his last bicycle ride on Monday, Feb. 17, 2020.

He was an avid cyclist, a devoted husband, father, and PaPa, and friend, cheerleader, and coach to everyone he met. Terry loved connecting and sharing all of his loves with everyone he met through pictures, support, and frequent Facebook posts.

Terry is survived by his wife, Jaye Masters; his children, Katie (Cody) Chapman and Thad (Rachel) Tuck; his beloved grandsons “The Colester” and “Jack-Jack,” as well as his mother, Chris Allen; brother, Tommy, former wife Nancy, stepson Steve Andrews, and his beloved dogs.

Terry retired from teaching and coaching in 2005, but was still on the sidelines supporting Rabun County High School athletes as they competed across the state. He also used his free time to support and connect with everyone he met. Terry had a great love for music and movies, Werther’s Originals (the mark of a true “PaPa”), buying things in bulk for reasons his family still does not understand, high-octane coffee, Yuenglings, and a daily can of V-8.

He was a University of Georgia graduate and could be found during the fall cheering on the Dawgs and making sure his grandsons did not like those dreaded blue and orange colors. One of his other pride-and-joys was his Porsche 914, which he drove weekly so that it would not become a “static display” (the same reason he gave for exercising constantly).

Terry loved connecting with former students from across the state and beyond and always stayed up to date with the goings-on in their lives. He spent his summers participating in BRAG (Bicycle Ride Across Georgia), for which he was constantly training. When it came to his grandsons, though, he had none of that disciplined “wheel power,” taking them to the playground or on bike rides, eating at Zaxby’s, and spoiling them with dirt worm donuts (much to their mother’s chagrin).

Terry loved big and lived big and will be terribly missed by all who knew him (except for the people of Iceland, who are probably still in recovery from some of his colorful comments during their trip).

Pastor Arne M. Walker

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Pastor Walker is a passionate Lutheran confessing Christian who has dedicated his life to his congregations. Pastor Walker imbued his youth groups with love for Christ and adventure frequently taking them on primitive explorations of the Canadian boundary waters or on long-distance cycling. He incorporated many of the same Christ centered principals (Word, Fellowship, and Service) that FCBA would later also use. Pastor was an early supporter of Millard and Linda Fuller, renaming our youth group Koinonia in their honor.

Arne M. Walker is a Lutheran pastor (ELCA) who graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College and the Lutheran School of Theology. He started his ministry in 1957 and remains a passionate force in the Lutheran church. In his early ministry, he served parishes in Minnesota, Iowa, New York, and Wisconsin before decades-long durations at Grace Lutheran of Lily Lake (St Charles, IL) and finally at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Gatlinburg, TN. Pastor is also the author of two books detailing his years in ministry: Even I Will Learn To Dance and A Trail Less Hiked available at Amazon.

Pastor Walker’s avocation for 59 years has been volunteer work with male teens who had been removed from their homes by the juvenile court. This time also included 20 years of chaplaincy ministry at Illinois Youth Center (St Charles, IL).

He was an early follower and supporter of Millard and Linda Fuller after reading “Love in the Mortar Joints”. He renamed the teen ministry from Luther League to Koinonia in honor of the Fuller’s work in the mid 70’s and coincidentally modelled his church cycling ministry in a manner very similar to Fuller Center Bike Adventure (sleeping on church floors, stringent cost controls, self-supporting, raising funds for greater good).

As a church pastor, he excelled at developing an active youth ministry in which he challenged the youth to interact with the outside world in order to gain better perspective and empathy. This interaction included trips to inner-city churches of Chicago for multi-cultural exchange and worship. He also involved these youth in his ministry at Illinois Youth Center, having them participate in some rather bruising basketball games with the “residents”.

Pastor also shared his love of the great outdoors with his youth. He regularly led trips to the Canadian Boundary Waters and included church foreign exchange students and residents from the Illinois Youth Correction Center. These trips were challenging events in which the crews left on multi-week excursions from the base camp totally self-supported and often involving significant portages hauling canoes and backpacks multiple miles between lakes (the Grand Portage was nine miles).

An even bigger part of his “outdoor ministry” was sharing his love of cycling. Arne started “Bike Hikes” in the late 60’s, designing them after the three Biblical principles for a Christian church: the Word, Fellowship, and Service. Initial church cycling trips started off with a confirmation class riding their bikes 20 miles round trip to the local community pool but rapidly expanded to include trips to Rockford, IL (Loves Park), Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, New York, Tennessee, a circle around the Great Lakes, and even a six week trip to Europe. All told, these cycling trips covered more than 25,000 miles and raised over $50,000 for charities such as Habitat for Humanity. Former President Jimmy Carter honored his cyclists for raising enough money to buy three lots used during a Chicago build day.

This scholarship has been established by members and former members of the Grace Lutheran Church of Lily Lake with love and respect for Pastor Walker. He changed our lives and altered our trajectory for the better…we LOVE you Arne!!

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