Participants Climb 70 Flights of Stairs in Detroit to Raise $175,000 for the American Lung Association
Blues Perspectives
| 2 min read
Burning quads and searing lungs helped raise $174,764.50 for the American Lung Association during its annual Fight For Air Climb stair race in Detroit. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan sent three teams up the 70-floor Renaissance Center to help raise money to fight lung disease. The Fight For Air Climb attracted individual competitors and teams from across Michigan, neighboring states and Ontario to raise money and climb a total of 1,035 steps for charity. Some 543 climbers finished the event, and the final tally easily surpassed the $138,000 fundraising goal. Each participant had to meet a $100 fundraising minimum by the morning of the climb March 6. Three BCBSM teams participated in the climb: Team Climbatize, Team Ascent 2011 and Stairway2Health. "When I saw this was for the American Lung Association, I thought it was a great way to help fund a great organization and grab a lot of other people to spread some awareness of the issue," said Kristie Stocker, a co-Captain of Team Climbatize. "I feel very touched by this event because I've had a close family member pass from lung disease." Not only was it an opportunity to support a great cause, it also gave participants motivation to train in preparation for the climb. Team Climbatize prepared by walking up the stairs of Blue Cross’ 21-story Detroit headquarters, by climbing the 29-story Westin Book Cadillac Hotel and hitting the gym. When her team reached the top of the Renaissance Center, Stocker said, "Everybody had a smile on their face, they all agreed it was a challenge and they were happy they did it." Each BCBSM team raised thousands of dollars for lung disease:
- Team Climbatize $6,962.00
- Team Stairway2Health $2,345.00
- Team Ascent 2011 $2,022.25
Top five companies for Fight For Air Climb fundraising:
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan $11,392.25
- Henry Ford Health System $10,855.00
- Macro Connect $2,414.99
- ImageSoft Inc. $2,170.00
- Moosejaw Mountaineering $2,161.11
Top five teams for Fight For Air Climb:
- Solar Stair Stars/Henry Ford Health Systems $10,855.00
- Climbatize $6,961.00
- Rockstairs $5,842.00
- ProQuest Pacers $4,809.00
- Rencensationals $4,531.01
For more information on the 2011 Fight For Air Climb, visit http://www.lungusa.org/donate/events/fight-for-air-climb/.
