The IRONMAN Foundation Continues Commitment to the Kailua-Kona Community with more than $275,000 in Charitable Giveback to Local Initiatives as part of the VinFast IRONMAN World Championship Return to Hawai’i Island
– The IRONMAN Foundation supports the Kona Community Aquatic Center with $100,000 in grant funding
– Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation awarded Dave Orlowski Memorial Grant as part of $40,000 provided by the IRONMAN Foundation
KAILUA-KONA, Hawai`i (October 5, 2022) – In celebration of the 2022 VinFast IRONMAN® World Championship event, The IRONMAN® Foundation is continuing its commitment to leave a positive impact on the Island of Hawai`i long after race day, distributing $275,000 in charitable giveback to nonprofit initiatives and groups in the Kailua-Kona community.
While the IRONMAN World Championship last took place in Kailua-Kona in 2019, IRONMAN and the IRONMAN Foundation have remained steadfast in supporting the local community during the challenging past three years. Charitable programs included The IRONMAN Foundation’s Kahiau Together Aid Station food-distribution events, IRONAID COVID-19 Support Fund Grants that served over 132,000 meals in addition to another $30,000 in grants to non-profits feeding their communities, Operation IRONAID Face Masks non-sterile face mask distribution and grant funding given to the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation. Since 2003, the total giveback awarded to local Island of Hawai`i community charity organizations have equated to nearly $3 million.
“The Kailua-Kona community is an important part of IRONMAN and The IRONMAN Foundation, and even when it was not possible to host the IRONMAN World Championship, it was important for us to remember our Hawaiian roots and our employees in this community to take care of those who needed support the most in such a dire time,” shared Shane Facteau, COO of The IRONMAN Group and President of The IRONMAN Foundation. “We are so grateful to be physically back with our `ohana here in Kailua-Kona as we work together to support the many important non-profits and initiatives on the Island of Hawai`i.”
“We are truly honored to partner with these organizations to provide funding and support for their initiatives,” said Audra Tassone-Indeck, Executive Director for The IRONMAN Foundation. “Together, as `Ohana, we’re leaving a positive and lasting impact here on the Island of Hawai`i.”
For more information on The IRONMAN Foundation’s giveback to the Island of Hawai’i and race week, activities see below:
Kahiau Together
The impact on the Island of Hawai’i during the COVID-19 pandemic became clear as hotels closed, restaurants and shops were shuttered, and the very volunteers who help make the iconic IRONMAN World Championship happen became some of the hardest hit. Together, with the local IRONMAN Hawai’i team, The IRONMAN Foundation created Kahiau Together.
Built from the Hawaiian word Kahiau, meaning to give generously and lavishly from the heart while not expecting anything in return, Kahiau Together consisted of 25 food distribution drive-through events throughout 2020 and 2021. As part of a $1 Million commitment to the community, The IRONMAN Foundation supported local fishermen, farmers, and ranchers by purchasing their products and then distributing these items in food bundles, providing over 132,000 meals to local community members.
Support of the Kona Community Aquatic Center
The IRONMAN Foundation will provide $100,000 in grant funding to the Kona Aquatic Center for a new scoreboard at the facility. The scoreboard will allow the Kona Aquatic Center to host championship-level competitions at the facility, helping to then decrease the cost for families and athletes.
Additionally, The IRONMAN Foundation, in partnership with HOKA and Tom Kennedy of Kennedy Law Racing, will provide a $10,000 grant to the Hawai’i Aquatics Academy which provides free swim lessons during the school day to children. The Hawai’i Aquatics Academy’s swim lessons count as children’s Physical Education credit for many schools in Kona whose classes have been removed from the schools due to budget cuts. The children are bussed to the pool and taught water safety swim skills so that, in case of a water emergency, they can rescue themselves and get to safety.
A check presentation will take place following The IRONMAN Foundation and HOKA® Youth Swim Clinic on Sunday, October 9 at the Kona Community Aquatic Center from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Select IRONMAN Foundation Athletes, including the USA’s first Black female professional triathlete, Sika Henry, will work with local youth to establish basic comprehension of swimming and foster confidence in their level of swimming ability.
Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation / Dave Orlowski Memorial Grant
This year The IRONMAN Foundation is recognizing local charity Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation as an outstanding and leading charitable organization and as such, will be awarded the Dave Orlowski Memorial Grant as part of $40,000 provided by the IRONMAN Foundation. The Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization dedicated to providing essential equipment and training to the Hawai`i Island Fire Department which serves the Hawaii community. The Sayre family’s relationship with IRONMAN began in 1981 when Dr. Frank Sayre joined as the original Timing Director for the IRONMAN World Championship. His wife Laura Mallery-Sayre joined in 1983 and together they were directors of timing for 22 years. In 1997 after losing their 25-year-old son Daniel in a hiking accident, they established the Memorial Foundation. Since the inception of the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation, IRONMAN and the IRONMAN Foundation have provided over $250,000 to continue to support the purchase of search and rescue training and equipment, including a brushfire truck, swiftwater training and equipment that helped to save countless lives during mass flooding in Hilo, a chopper spotter for Rescue Helicopter, underwater to surface rescue diving communication systems which has been instrumental in saving divers as well as rescue personnel, long-range communication systems for two lifeguard towers, rescue boards for the lifeguards, a Holmatro Jaws of Life, rescue ropes and training, EMS Heart Compressors for ambulances, and with the most recent funds, two Matric 30T Heat-seeking Rescue Drones that will assist firefighters in avoiding underground fire pits and also locate missing persons.
“Dave Orlowski was a long-time friend that we hosted in our home and looked forward to seeing every year at the IRONMAN World Championship,” said Laura Mallery-Sayre. “To receive this prestigious grant in his memory is so incredibly meaningful to us as he embodied the heart and soul of the IRONMAN family. We are most grateful for this honor and for the continued support from IRONMAN for our first responders that are serving our Island home.”
Dave Orlowski was a pioneer in the sport of triathlon as one of the original IRONMAN finishers in the inaugural event in 1978 and a member of The IRONMAN Foundation Board of Directors. In 2020, Orlowski passed away after battling leukemia. After his passing, The IRONMAN Foundation established the Dave Orlowski Memorial Grant, which is given out annually to honor Orlowski’s legacy of service through sport and commitment to community. The IRONMAN Foundation and Kennedy Law will host a Memorial for Dave Orlowski on Friday, October 7 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Kona Beach Hotel Formal Gardens. The event is open to the public.
We’ve Got Your Back(Pack)
Athletes and supporters are invited to stop by The IRONMAN Foundation booth at the VinFast IRONMAN World Championship Village at Hale Hālāwai Park, October 3 through October 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to join in stuffing backpacks with wellness items for local students. The IRONMAN Foundation will provide 50 sling bags filled with items to encourage children to stay active and healthy, to Kahakai Elementary School through its We’ve Got Your Back(Pack) program. All items for the backpacks will be supplied by The IRONMAN Foundation and HOKA.
IRONMAN Foundation Athlete Team
The IRONMAN Foundation will have 45 athletes from around the world race in support of its mission to create positive tangible change in race communities through grants and volunteerism efforts. Below are six IRONMAN Foundation athletes racing in the 2022 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship, highlighted due to their vigor for the sport of triathlon and exceptional service to IRONMAN communities worldwide.
- Dallas Clark: Dallas was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts with the 24th pick and went on to play in the NFL for 11 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts where he was part of the Super Bowl XLI winning team, before also playing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Baltimore Ravens. Inspired by his friend, Indy 500 Champion and 2011 IRONMAN World Championship Finisher and fellow 2022 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship race participant, Tony Kanaan, Dallas decided to enter the world of triathlon as a new physical challenge following his time in the NFL. In addition to competing at the 2022 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship, Dallas has committed to raising $1 million for the Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital and the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
- Todd Crandell: Todd is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with Supervision Designation (LPCC-S) & Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC) who has dedicated his personal and professional life to assisting those battling addiction and destructive behaviors. Clean and sober since 1993, Todd has found an outlet for his once-negative energies, participating in IRONMAN triathlon events since 1999. Crandell has completed 99 IRONMAN triathlons around the world, and the 2022 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship will mark the 100th event he has raced. He is the founder of Racing for Recovery, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping those affected by addiction.
- Marcus Fitts: Marcus, an IRONMAN Foundation Race For ChangeTM ambassador, is a DC-based multidisciplinary designer, brand strategist, and endurance athlete focused on helping introduce new triathletes to the sport of triathlon and creating a community for black and minority athletes to feel welcomed. Marcus is also the founder and former president of District Triathlon (501c3) and owner of GRIT USA, an adult multi-sport team and development program based in the DMV area.
- Marc Harrison: Marc is president and CEO of Intermountain Healthcare and a pediatric critical care physician, as well as a two-time cancer survivor competing in the 2022 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship. Throughout his training and preparation for the race, he has raised awareness and funds for Primary Promise, a campaign by Intermountain to build the nation’s model health system for children. Marc is partnering with Steve Neeleman, a fellow doctor, to raise $5 million for their hospital.
- Justin Spencer: Justin is the founder of ‘Recycled Percussion’ and ‘Chaos and Kindness’ as well as an Emmy award-winning director. His first experience with triathlon took place in 2021 when he registered for the IRONMAN 70.3 Timberman triathlon in his hometown, Laconia, NH, just days before the race took place. Justin took part having no prior training or triathlon experience. He completed the race and was inspired by the work of The IRONMAN Foundation, specifically its Race For Change program, committing to race the IRONMAN World Championship event.
- Elizabeth Wood: Elizabeth attributes triathlon to giving her a reason to get up and get out of bed after the sudden loss of her husband. She is an IRONMAN Foundation Ambassador and earned her spot competing with The IRONMAN Foundation by being one of the organization’s top fundraisers in 2020.
Notable IRONMAN Foundation athletes will also participate in various Q&A panels throughout race week. The IRONMAN Foundation will host three panels including:
- IRONMAN Foundation Female Athlete Panel Hosted by HOKA, Monday, October 3, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the HOKA Hub in the Kona Beach Hotel Diamond Lot
- IRONMAN Foundation Race For Change Athlete Panel Hosted by HOKA, Tuesday, October 4, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the HOKA Hub in the Kona Beach Hotel Diamond Lot
- IRONMAN Foundation Athlete Panel, Tuesday, October 4, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the VinFast IRONMAN World Championship Village Stage
For more information on The IRONMAN Foundation and its programs visit www.ironmanfoundation.org.
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About The IRONMAN Foundation
The IRONMAN Foundation creates positive, tangible change in race communities by engaging athletes and volunteers to participate in programs that demonstrate service through sport and commitment to the community. Since 2003, over $55,000,000 has been provided through giveback programs led by the IRONMAN Foundation to more than 10,000 local, regional, national, and global nonprofit initiatives. Through these partnerships, IRONMAN and Rock’ n’ Roll Running Series participants are powerfully linked to the community and together help leave a positive legacy behind in race communities long after event day. For more information on IRONMAN Foundation programs, including Team IMF, Community Fund, Rock This Town®, Your Journey Your Cause®, and Race For Change™, visit www.ironmanfoundation.org.
About The IRONMAN Group
The IRONMAN Group operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN® 70.3® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN® Virtual Racing™ (VR™) Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll® Running Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running™ Series, IRONKIDS®, World Triathlon Championship Series, premier running events including the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon™ and City2Surf®, UTMB® World Series events including Tarawera Ultra and Ultra-Trail Australia™, Epic Series™ mountain bike races including the Absa Cape Epic®, road cycling events including Haute Route®, and other multisport races. The IRONMAN Group is the largest operator of mass participation sports in the world and provides more than a million participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the company’s vast offerings. Catering to the full athlete experience, the company portfolio also includes FulGaz® virtual cycling, the most realistic indoor riding experience connected fitness application aimed at preparing athletes for real-world events. Since the inception of the iconic IRONMAN® brand and its first event in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE® by crossing finish lines around the world. Beginning as a single race, The IRONMAN Group has grown to become a global sensation with hundreds of events across 55+ countries. The IRONMAN Group is owned by Advance, a private, family-owned business. For more information, visit www.ironman.com/about-ironman-group.
About Advance
Advance is a private, family-held business that owns and invests in companies across media, entertainment, technology, communications, education and other promising growth sectors. Our mission is to build the value of our companies over the long-term by fostering growth and innovation. Advance’s portfolio includes Condé Nast, Advance Local, Stage Entertainment, The IRONMAN Group, American City Business Journals, Leaders Group, Turnitin, 1010data and Pop. Together these operating companies employ more than 17,000 people in 29 countries. Advance is also among the largest shareholders in Charter Communications, Warner Bros. Discovery and Reddit. For more information visit www.advance.com.