Special Olympics of Illinois gearing up for $100,000 fundraiser

Posted on July 2, 2018

By Blake Haas

NORMAL – Over 20 workout facilities across the state will join hand-in-hand with Special Olympics of Illinois for an annual fundraiser aimed at raising $100,000.

The third-annual Row Raiser challenges teams of 10 to pull a distance of a marathon on a row machine in the quickest time possible. Special Olympics Director of Region G Jim Fitzpatrick, said each team raises $500 with the goal of beating last year’s $10,000 raised.

“The idea [of Row Raiser] is to get teams of 10 and each participant raises $50 to be on the team so [it’s] $500 per team, ” said Fitzpatrick. “[The teams] get together and row a marathon in the fastest time they can and it is all to raise money for Special Olympics of Illinois.”

Fitzpatrick added with this being one of the biggest Special Olympic fundraisers for Bloomington-Normal, it is an amazing to see the CrossFit athletes helping out the Special Olympic athletes.

“It has become a partnership, like I said their athletes helping out our athletes and exposing our athletes to the CrossFit fitness community,” added Fitzpatrick. “CrossFit Bloomington-Normal has been a really good supporter in our gym’s here and workout facilities so we have raised over $10,000 last year so the goal state wide is to get over $100,000.

Special Olympics Row Raiser will begin Saturday at 9 a.m. across the state and at Bloomington-Normal’s CrossFit facility at 401 Bronco Drive in Bloomington.

Since the event began in 2015, CrossFit gyms across the state have been wonderful, but Fitzpatrick said the Bloomington-Normal facility has been extra helpful.

“CrossFit Bloomington-Normal has been a really good supporter and our gym’s here have been pronominal,” said Fitzpatrick. “It is very cool to see teams of Special Olympic staff and some of our [Special Olympic] athletes will be out there and to watch the other teams cheer them on is just really cool.”

Sign-ups are still available including the day-of and donations can be made before, during or after the event.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…