For over two decades, Henry Boyd (pictured right) showed up rain or shine every Tuesday afternoon and Saturday morning, ready to lace up his tennis shoes and run alongside the youth at Youth Villages’ Bartlett residential campus.
After 26 years of service, the long-time volunteer, fundraiser, and running mentor is retiring. And while his knees may be telling him it’s time to slow down, Henry’s impact will keep moving forward.
Henry’s passion for running dates to the 1950s when he ran track in junior high and high school. After a brief break during college, he returned to the sport that has defined much of his life. Over the years, Henry joined local organizations like Memphis Runners Track Club and Bartlett Runners, helped organize the Memphis Marathon, and even completed one of the nation’s most grueling trail races: a 15.5-mile run in Leadville, Colorado, at over 10,000 feet elevation.
But it wasn’t just personal accomplishments that fueled Henry. It was the connections that were made. That’s how he found his way to Youth Villages.
Through a long-time friendship with fellow runner Paul Ireland, Henry began volunteering with the Youth Villages’ Runners Club. The group engages residential youth in weekly training runs and monthly 5K races.
“I figured I would help for maybe a year or two,” he said.
Now, Henry holds a special distinction as the longest-serving volunteer in Youth Villages’ history.
Still, Henry became more than a volunteer. He became a consistent presence, a role model, and a source of humor and wisdom for the youth at Youth Villages. He recalls one youth who, without fail, came to each session with a story. The young boy was either wrestling alligators in Louisiana, surviving a Pacific cyclone, or completing a test to prove he could handle Maine’s winters.
The stories weren’t true, but the connection was real. Today, the young person is in his late 20s and still attends local races to say hello to Henry and Paul.
“Volunteering is enjoyable,” Henry said. “Some of the kids get to be like grandkids. You worry about them and want to see them do well.”
Youth Villages’ Runners Club isn’t just about winning races. It’s about building grit, setting goals, and learning to overcome life’s obstacles. Henry says he believes those are life lessons worth running for.
“These kids have often been taught it’s okay to give up,” he said. “We try to help them keep going, and running teaches them that.”
For 17 years, Henry also served as a race director and fundraiser for Youth Villages’ 5K. He’s been a staple in Memphis’ running scene for decades, even if he no longer runs himself. These days, you’ll find him volunteering at Davies Manor in Bartlett, where he serves on the board and tends to donkeys, goats, and chickens every morning.
Henry’s dedication has made a lasting impact on countless young people, and his story is a testament to the power of long-term volunteerism — a testament that just might inspire someone else to give 26 years of service, too.
Henry turns 80 this year, and while he jokes about slowing down, it’s clear his spirit hasn’t.
“When you volunteer, you get more than you give,” he said. “It gives your life meaning.”
Runners Club’s upcoming race will be the YV5K on Saturday, October 4. Participants can register online by visiting Youthvillages5k.org. Walk-up registration is also available at packet pick-up from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Memphis Area Association of Realtors on Friday, October 3, and from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at Ridgeway Center on race day.
By Shelby Mitchell
Photo by Terrance Raper
