The Ironman Foundation Community Fund is making a flurry of charitable donations to Louisville, Kentucky, and to the Whistler and Sea to Sky communities in Canada. The donations are respectively in tandem with Ironman Louisville, which takes place on Sunday 25 August, and Ironman Canada 2013, which also gets under way this coming Sunday.
With the 2013 donations from the Ironman Foundation, a total of over US$1,600,000 will be provided back to support non-profit and community initiatives to support the needs of all associated Ironman race communities.
Ironman Louisville
Ahead of Ironman Louisville 2013 this weekend, the Ironman Foundation Community Fund will give US$60,000 in grant funding to initiatives and groups in the greater Louisville community. The Ironman Foundation’s contribution will provide support to non-profit needs and initiatives.
With the 2013 donations from the Ironman Foundation, a total of over US$380,000 has been given to support the needs of the local community since the first Ironman Louisville in 2007.
The Ironman Foundation will donate US$10,000 to the Oldham County Fiscal court to support youth sport initiatives in the county. The remaining funds will be distributed to other local non-profit initiatives.
The Ironman Foundation also provides registered athletes with the platform to fundraise for the Foundation or a non-profit beneficiary of their choice as they train for their Ironman event. More than 37 athletes have signed up to participate in The Ironman Foundation’s ‘Your Journey, Your Cause’ fundraising program. Collectively they have raised over US$150,000 for their respective causes.
Ironman Canada
The Ironman Foundation Community Fund will give US$50,000 in grant funding to non-profit groups in Whistler and Sea to Sky communities as part of the 2013 Ironman Canada triathlon. The Ironman Foundation’s contribution will provide support to not-for-profit needs and initiatives within the local community in partnership with Whistler Community Services Society.
The Ironman Foundation will work with the Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS) and donate US$50,000 to support the needs of the region. The WCSS will distribute the Foundation grant funds to 35 local not-for-profit groups. Some of the local beneficiaries include the Squamish Hospice Society, Pemberton Multicultural Network, Howe Sound Women’s Center Society, Whistler Blackcomb Foundation Whistler Adaptive Sports Association and St John’s Community Church.
More than 225 athletes are registered as Ironman Foundation athletes for Ironman Canada and many have signed up to participate in The Ironman Foundation’s ‘Your Journey, Your Cause’. Collectively they have raised over US$165,000 for their respective causes.
The Ironman Foundation featured athlete for Ironman Canada is Michael Bedke, an attorney from Tampa, Florida, who has raised over US$15,000 for World Bicycle Relief, the official charity partner of Ironman Canada. World Bicycle Relief is a non-profit organization transforming individuals and their communities through The Power of Bicycles.
Debuting this year is the Ironman Foundation Newton Running Ambassador Triathlon Team. The goal of the team is to have athletes share the concept of ‘service through sport and commitment to community.’ A total of 44 athletes were recruited to represent the team and share the goodwill of giving back to the community.
Six members will be representing the team in Whistler and have identified the Whistler Community Services Society’s ‘Knock Out Hunger’ initiative as the service project of the team. These team members participated in a community service project on 22 August in Whistler to distribute grocery donation bags to local residents to stock the WCSS Food Bank
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