When Lizzie and Morgan Moss developed the concept for Big River Pizza Co. in St. Francisville, they wanted it to boast more than just good food. And while the oven-fired pizza is tasty, they wanted to serve up a sense of community and culture along with it.

“We thought, what can we do to encourage locals to come out, get together and have a fun, healthy excuse to get out of the house on a weekday?” Lizzie explains.

With this goal in mind, and Morgan’s previous involvement in biking and running clubs, the Big River Running Club was established.

Participation is open to the public, with runners and walkers ranging from college athletes in training to new mothers. The group meets every Wednesday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 a.m., and Lizzie says people love how informal and low-commitment the club is.

“You can go as far as you want to,” she says. “It’s up to three and a half miles, but you can also just walk half of it and let it be an excuse to get out of the house.”

While burning calories is a nice perk to the club, Lizzie’s ultimate goal for participants is to have a good time and make friends. She encourages club goers to stay and hang out after running to enjoy their half-off pizza and drinks.

Although the club is casual, it has had a profound impact on the community. Last September, the club came together in support of two local families whose sons passed away. In an effort to help cover funeral costs, Big River Running Club became a fundraiser, providing about $3,500 in direct assistance for each family.

“To see community members come together and support a family going through such a hard time was very much a goosebump moment,” Lizzie says.

As the couple’s dream of bringing people together has come true, they’ve considered creating more community-centered clubs, such as a cycling club. Regardless of the activity, Big River’s mission is to bring their community together in the most fun and delicious ways.

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