Team Mobility Event: Los Angeles Marathon

Event: LA Marathon 2012

Location: Los Angeles, CA        

Date: March 18, 2012

The Story: This was the first time Free Wheelchair Mission had a team at the LA Marathon. We were thrilled to have 25 runners take on the marathon and the new event, the Charity Half Marathon Relay.

Event Highlights:

• Free Wheelchair Mission was featured on the KTLA morning news on March 8, 2012.  There was a live text-to-give option, and over $600 in donations rolled in from the 4 different segments!

• At the windy & rainy expo, runners came by to check out the wheelchair in person and pick up their race gear for the next day.

• All Free Wheelchair Mission runners were invited for breakfast and a warm place to limber up before the race in our private VIP Dodger Suite.

 

• We participated in the first ever Charity Half Marathon Relay - the first team member ran from the start line to mile 13.1, and the second team member ran from mile 13.1 to the finish at 26.2. FWM was right there at the transition zone to celebrate with runner 1, and cheer on runner 2. 

 

• All smiles at the finish line!

Lives Transformed by the Run for Mobility event: 172

Team Mobility Event: Pittsburgh Marathon

Event: Team Mobility - Pittsburgh Marathon 2012

Location: Pittsburgh, PA        

Date: March 18, 2012

The Story: This was the first time Free Wheelchair Mission had a presence at this race. Thanks to the hard work of two passionate supporters Linda and John, a group of 25 runners took on the marathon and 5K sporting FWM colors!

Event Highlights:

• Being accepted as an official race charity at Pittsburgh Marathon headquarters

 

• Pre-race expo, where volunteers talked to expo attendees about Free Wheelchair Mission and the wheelchair

 

• Race day fun!

Lives Transformed by the Run for Mobility event: 225

Team Mobility Event: Surf City Marathon / Run for Mobility

Team Mobility event - 7th Annual Run for Mobility at the Surf City Marathon

Event: Surf City Marathon           

Location: Huntington Beach, CA         

Date: February 3-5, 2012

The Story: Our 7th Annual Run for Mobility at the Surf City Marathon was a huge success! We had over 300 runners who took on the half or full marathon while raising funds and awareness for Free Wheelchair Mission. 

Runner-fundraisers used online donation websites for the 6 months leading up to the race, getting the word out that they were making their miles matter and raising money for wheelchairs. Race weekend was a three day celebration for our fundraisers, as well as a chance to share the Free Wheelchair Mission with over 40,000 people.

Event Highlights:

• Free Wheelchair Mission Ambassadors from Team Macatawa beautified our finish line tent on race morning with their sidewalk chalk masterpieces.

• 60 volunteers, led by volunteer commander Jesse, helped by cheering runners into the finish line, taking photos, creating encouragement signs, and decorating the Free Wheelchair Mission tent. Thanks to Westminster High School Girls for Change, Team Macatawa, OCHSA Key Club, and GE Aviation for everything! 

GE Aviation

• 40 volunteers, fearlessly led by volunteer water station commander Daniel, helped pass out water to the runners as they raced by the water station at PCH & Seapoint. They also helped cheer on our fabulous FWM runners, and took some great action shots as they ran by! Thank you to WesternUPT, Oceanview High School, and Villa Park Key Club for all your hard work!

   

•  Paralympic gold medalist Josh George shared his powerful story at the 7th Annual Run for Mobility team dinner at the Shorebreak Hotel. The next day, he joined the 300 other Free Wheelchair Mission runners and took on the half marathon!

 

• Fundraisers made their miles (either 13.1 or 26.2) matter for Free Wheelchair Mission

 

Finish line, here I come!

• Post-race party at the Free Wheelchair Mission hospitality tent

Staffer Whitney and her husband Adam

Team Applied Medical

Lives Transformed by the Run for Mobility event: 2,658 (over $170,000!)

    

Take-Away Tip: You can use your passion for sport and your own mobility to provide the gift of mobility to others around the world through Free Wheelchair Mission's athletic program Team Mobility. Any sport, any athlete, anywhere! www.teammobility.org

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