We are Thankful for Year-Round Fundraising: by Savannah Smith, Special Events Coordinator

The day after Thanksgiving may be known to some people as Black Friday.  However, in Pineville Park in Charlotte, NC the day after Thanksgiving included a turkey-burning workout!  The Fight for ALS Fitness Boot Camp was co-hosted by Colleen Fadel and Charlotte Adventure Boot Camp.  This event posed a fitness challenge for the 30 participants that morning.  Challenges included team competitions, exercise stations, and an obstacle course.  Prizes were awarded to the top finishing teams and individuals for that morning.  Did I mention this event raised nearly $10,000 for the Catfish Chapter!?

So, how is it done?  The organizers of the event decided around the beginning of November that this was a third party event that they were going to host.  They quickly got to work to make this event such a success. Colleen Fadel told us that prior to the event, she went to local businesses for donations such as breakfast items, water, coffee, and prizes.  From there, she emailed her friends and family – even the out of town relatives – and let them know she was hosting an event and donations began to pour in!  Those friends and family forwarded the message to THEIR friends and family members.  While people started to hear about the event, the word started to spread in the Charlotte community about the event. Thank you to Colleen and Charlotte Adventure Boot Camp for all of the hard work you put into this event!