The IRONMAN Foundation will distribute more than US$77,000 in giveback to charitable initiatives and groups in the greater Madison region in conjunction with the 2022 IRONMAN Wisconsin, part of the VinFast IRONMAN US Series, and IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin.
This year’s grant funding brings The IRONMAN Foundation’s total historical giveback within the region to more than US$1.38 million since inception.
Community giveback
In 2020, The IRONMAN Foundation established the Dave Orlowski Memorial Grant. Dave Orlowski was a pioneer in the sport of triathlon as one of the original IRONMAN finishers in 1978, as well as a member of The IRONMAN Foundation Board of Directors.
The grant, given out annually, honours Orlowski’s legacy of service through sport and commitment to his community by recognizing charitable organizations throughout IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 race communities.
Tri 4 Schools, a local non-profit whose mission is to provide programs and multi-sport events to kids, schools, and communities, encouraging them to live an active lifestyle will receive this year’s Dave Orlowski Memorial Grant.
“We are proud to honour the memory of one of IRONMAN’s beloved original heroes, Dave Orlowski, and carry on his legacy through community service during this year’s events,” said Audra Tassone-Indeck, Executive Director of The IRONMAN Foundation.
“As Madison, was one of Dave’s favourite race communities, we are honoured to support the work Tri 4 Schools is doing in this region. Their work to empower kids, schools, and communities to be healthy and happy is exactly the kind of work that Dave believed in.”
In addition, Tri 4 Schools will receive 50 backpacks through The IRONMAN Foundation’s We’ve Got Your Back(Pack) program. Athletes and supporters are invited to stop by The IRONMAN Foundation booth in the IRONMAN Village on Thursday, September 8 and Friday, September 9 from 10:00 to 17:00 local time to join in stuffing backpacks with wellness items to encourage students supported by Tri 4 Schools to live active and healthy lives. All items for the backpacks will be supplied by The IRONMAN Foundation.
IRONMAN Foundation athletes
Father-daughter duo, Maggie Swanson and Tad Weiss will race together for the first time with The IRONMAN Foundation’s TEAM IMF at IRONMAN Wisconsin, part of the VinFast IRONMAN US Series, on September 11, 2022.
Weiss took part in the first IRONMAN Wisconsin triathlon in 2002, and Swanson completed her first full-distance IRONMAN race at the IRONMAN Wisconsin triathlon in 2021. Swanson began participating in triathlon in 2015, one year after she nearly lost her life in Seville, Spain.
Swanson and Weiss recently wrote a book, ‘25 Meters to God’, which details Maggie’s journey and recovery after being hit and thrown 25m (82 feet) by a bus while studying abroad. The duo has raised more than US$335,000 for four different charities, including The IRONMAN Foundation.
www.ironmanfoundation.org
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