Teams of ringleaders are launching a fundraising challenge for a CSRA facility that provides support and physical therapy to patients with neurological illness.
The Ringleader Rumble is set for Thurs., Nov. 5th at Day One Fitness in Beech Island. Twenty teams made up of community leaders are fundraising ahead of the event. Then they will square off in physical competitions.
“We’re going to have them compete in a series of minute-to-win games, and hopefully at the end of the event we’ll have one ringleader champion,” development coordinator Maggie Haiduc explained for ABD. “That will be the winner of our games. We’ll also have top fundraisers. That’ll be the person that has raised the most money leading up to the event, and then we’ll have People’s Choice, and that’ll be the ringleader who gets the most votes during the event.”
The competitions will include elements of speech and voice, boxing, balance, exercise, and functional fitness, which are things coaches do every day with clients. The goal is to raise awareness of the gym and its mission to help individuals with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, and stroke fight back against their disease.
“We know that high-intensity exercise, specifically boxing, is the only thing that slows the progression of these diseases,” said Haiduc. “Modern medicine has ways to deal with these things; it will kind of keep you where you’re at or manage symptoms. But really high-intensity exercises are what’s going to help slow down the progression.”
Executive Director Danielle Williams said their clients come through referrals from local medical facilities, doctors and neurologists.
“We have a good network, but we’re still not reaching everybody that could benefit from our program. So, this is about getting our name out there to people who might not hear of us, people who maybe aren’t going to the doctor yet,” she said.
Williams added that a potential client does not need a referral from a medical professional or healthcare facility to join Day One Fitness.
“The only thing that we ask is that folks give us a call, schedule a tour to come in so that we can do an evaluation process. Because we’re serving folks who have very specific diagnoses, and we want to make sure that our program is a fit for them. I’ll bring you in for a tour, show you around, talk to you to get an idea of where your needs lie the most,” she said.
Current teams are led by leaders in business, healthcare, and the community, including one led by North Augusta City Councilman David Buck. However, Haiduc said they have room for a few more teams to join.
“All you need to be a ringleader is a willingness to rally your community, get behind a good cause, and have a lot of fun,” she said. “So, if someone out there is really interested in wanting to make a difference, this is a great place to do that. Businesses also have the opportunity to sponsor their employees.”
Sponsorship information and to sign up as a volunteer are at www.dayonefitness.org under the “Events” tab. The public is invited to attend the rumble, and tickets are available at the website.
For more information, call 248-765-1440, or email Haiduc at maggie@dayonefitness.org
