CAF to Raise Funds for Challenged Athletes Through New Team Program at the AVIA Wildflower Triathlons
San Diego*, Calif.* – The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) and Tri-California Events are proud to announce a new way to experience the excitement of the AVIA Wildflower Triathlons on May 2-4, 2008 while raising much-needed funds for physically challenged athletes – Team CAF Wildflower. Team CAF Wildflower is open to all Wildflower participants – Long Course, Olympic distance and Mountain Bike racers alike. By raising a minimum of $1,000 for CAF, Team CAF Wildflower participants will be changing the lives of physically challenged athletes around the world. The funds raised will enable challenged athletes to run for the first time, get their very own handcycle to ride a century or just gain the confidence to get to the starting line.
“The Challenged Athletes Foundation and Tri-California Events’ partnership is going on its fifth year,” said Virginia Tinley, CAF’s Executive Director. “The first-ever Team CAF Wildflower fundraising program creates a new way for AVIA Wildflower participants to experience this renowned triathlon festival while supporting the mission of CAF. It’s a win-win! It also allows participants to closely interact with some very impressive and well-known challenged athletes, making their AVIA Wildflower experience that much more personal and rewarding.”
Team members will join** standout challenged athletes Sarah Reinertsen**, the first female to finish the Ford Ironman World Championship on a prosthetic leg, 6-time Iron-distance race finisher “One-Arm Willie” Stewart, Survivor star and below-knee-amputee Chad Crittenden, 2007** **ITU Silver Medalist in the above-knee-amputee category, Scout Bassett, and many other talented athletes and compete at the AVIA Wildflower Triathlons. These amazing challenged athletes will lead and inspire the Team CAF Wildflower participants, creating a one-of-a-kind experience. By joining this program, participants become part a team motivated by the heart and abilities of your challenged teammates … A team with access to a custom Wildflower training program by Hypercat Racing and plenty of VIP benefits (listed below) … A team that literally “changes lives” by raising funds for the Challenged Athletes Foundation.
Members of Team CAF Wildflower will receive:
· A Wildflower Long Course, Olympic or Mountain Bike (limited Mtn. Bike entries) race entry
· A custom Wildflower online training program by Hypercat Racing (www.hypercatracing.com)
· A custom CAF triathlon race uniform
· A chance to race with challenged athletes
· VIP packet pick-up at the CAF expo booth
· Motivational emails leading into the event
· A team photo of the 2008 Team CAF Wildflower group
· A group swim “warm-up” on Friday, May 2nd
· A large reserved group camping area
· Inspirational campfire pep talks from participating challenged athletes
Signing up for Team CAF Wildflower is easy (Sign up here:www.teamcafwildflower08.kintera.org) and fundraising can be done simply online using CAF’s Race For A Reason program tools. A one-time, nominal registration fee of $25 gets you an official fundraising web page, an easy to follow fundraising kit, inspirational emails from your challenged athlete team leaders and a cool Race For A Reason technical training shirt. To join the team and qualify for all benefits, participants must raise a minimum of $1,000 by April 18th. (Already racing, but want to join the fun? Raise $750 by April 18th and you’re on the team!)
We hope triathletes across the state and country will join Sarah, Willie, Chad and Scout at the starting line of the AVIA Wildflower Triathlons on May 2-4 as part of Team CAF Wildflower. The weekend will be unforgettable and the funds raised will help pay for specialized equipment, training and coaching expenses for deserving physically challenged athletes around the world.
“The AVIA Wildflower Triathlon weekend is already very special to me,” explains CAF spokesperson and role model, Sarah Reinertsen. “The addition of the Team CAF Wildflower program makes it even nearer and dearer to my heart. Participants can now join me and my fellow challenged athlete mentors and spokespersons in making a difference. Through this program, we can get even more challenged athletes into the game, and into life.”
To get a better idea of what the Team CAF Wildflower program stands for, the athletes it supports and the experience it will provide, please watch this Tri-Cal TV special featuring the Challenged Athletes Foundation. View it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xocE84b2V5g.
For more information or to join the team, go to www.teamcafwildflower08.kintera.org. Or, contact CAF’s Fundraising and Donor Relations Manager, Barbi Ramage, at Barbi@challengedathletes.org or by calling 858.526.6576.
*The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) is a special place where courage has many faces … where perseverance comes through the door with a first name … where dreams are nourished and heroes have a home. It is an organization unlike any other in the world. *
CAF grew out of a desire to assist one athlete paralyzed in a triathlon. From this modest beginning arose a more important mission – to make sure people with physical challenges have the same freedom to enjoy sports that the able-bodied take for granted.
Since 1994, CAF has raised more than $16 million and satisfied almost 2,700 funding requests from challenged athletes in all 50 states and dozens of countries. Whether it’s a $2,000 grant for a handcycle, helping underwrite a $15,000 running prosthetic or arranging enthusiastic encouragement from a mentor who has triumphed over a similar challenge, CAF’s mission is clear: give those with the desire to live active, athletic lifestyles every opportunity to compete in the sports they love. To learn more, log on to www.challengedathletes.org or call 858-866-0959.**
