IMF Athletes Make a Memorable Impact in Maryland

The IRONMAN Foundation^® will distribute $58,000 in charitable giveback to non-profit initiatives and groups in the greater Cambridge Maryland region in conjunction with the 2016 IRONMAN^® Maryland triathlon taking place on Saturday, October 1.  With this most recent donation from The IRONMAN Foundation, a total of $73,000 has been given back to the Cambridge community this year.  The IRONMAN Foundation Community Fund provides community and volunteerism grant opportunities to non-profit organizations where IRONMAN events are held. The IRONMAN Foundation’s contribution will provide support to non-profit needs and initiatives within the local community, and brings the total giveback to more than $169,000 in the region. In 2016, The IRONMAN Foundation will distribute more than $1.6 million in grant funding to support the needs of IRONMAN race communities across North America.

Community Grants

The IRONMAN Foundation provides charitable support to a variety of local non-profit organizations that recognize citizens in need and support The Foundation’s mission. The Foundation works with community leaders to identify projects and initiatives and to provide funding in order to support worthwhile causes. This year, The IRONMAN Foundation Community Fund will provide a $5,000 Community Grant to Habitat for Humanity Choptank to purchase tools for the expansion of their home building and rehab program into North Dorchester County.

“For our home buyers, the idea that they can achieve an audacious goal like buying a home can at time seem unimaginable,” said Nancy Andrew, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Choptank. “The IRONMAN Foundation grant will empower more families in Dorchester County achieve the goal of home ownership with the expansion of Habitat Choptank’s mission into North Dorchester.”

Another featured grant recipient, the Dorchester County Family YMCA, will receive a $5,000 grant to help transform a storage area of the YMCA into a kitchen area with laundry facilities that will improve community use and access of the YMCA space, as well as enhance summer camp experiences.  “Thanks to The IRONMAN Foundation, we will be able to finish our kitchen project at the YMCA which will enable us to enhance our summer camp program and on site after-school program,” said JoAnn Hansen, Chief Executive Officer of the Dorchester County Family YMCA.  “It also enables us to provide additional support to family and community activities that the Dorchester Family YMCA sponsors, such as our Annual Crab Run and Heart of the Chesapeake Bike Tour.”

“Grant funding is one way that The IRONMAN Foundation leaves a lasting legacy in the communities where IRONMAN races take place,” said Dave Deschenes, Executive Director of The IRONMAN Foundation.  “We are thrilled to support the Cambridge community with these community grant awards.”

The IRONMAN Foundation will recognize this year’s community grant recipients at the IRONMAN Maryland Opening Ceremony taking place on Thursday, September 29th at 6:00 p.m. at the Dorchester County Visitor Center Amphitheater.

Volunteerism Grants

Within IRONMAN’s race communities, The IRONMAN Foundation provides a grant program to support organizations that have a volunteerism component. This year, The IRONMAN Foundation’s Community Fund will provide over $30,000 in volunteer grant donations for the IRONMAN Maryland triathlon. “We are thrilled to continue our support of so many tremendous organizations that selflessly serve others within the Cambridge region year-after-year,” said Christine Perkins, Community Relations Manager for The IRONMAN Foundation. “Last year, volunteer grant funding was distributed among 63 community groups in the region.”

Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation

The IRONMAN Foundation, in partnership with the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation (FHSPSF), will provide a grant of more than $13,000 to the Hoopers Island Volunteer Fire Company to purchase a Lucas 2 Chest Compression system that will help to improve outcomes of sudden cardiac arrest victims and enhance operations for medical responders.

“The Hoopers Island Volunteer Fire Company is very grateful to have received a grant from The IRONMAN Foundation and Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation to purchase a Lucas Chest Compression Device, as this unit will help prevent provider fatigue when controlling both the amount of compressions and compression depth with a minimum number of interruptions,” said Rosemary Dean, Ambulance Captain and Treasurer of the Hoopers Island Volunteer Fire Department.  “It helps sustain blood circulation to the brain, heart, and major organs until we can release them to hospital staff.  This will also ensure and a better quality of CPR care to our community and help our providers.”

An additional grant of $5,000 will be awarded to the Taylors Island Volunteer Fire Company to purchase long-life battery smoke detectors that will be distributed to multiple residents who live on Taylors Island and other small rural communities in lower Dorchester County.

“We are so appreciative to The IRONMAN Foundation and Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation for helping us to provide these ten-year long-life smoke detectors to residents within Taylors Island and surrounding rural areas that otherwise may not have the opportunity to purchase these vital detectors,” said Patti Tieder, President of Taylors Island Volunteer Fire Company.  “No matter what your socioeconomic status may be, everyone should have access to working smoke detectors, as it may mean the difference between life and death in many situations.”

“Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, along with The IRONMAN Foundation, is grateful for the opportunity to give back to those who loyally serve our communities,” said Robin Peters, Executive Director of FHSPSF. “As IRONMAN athletes prove that ‘Anything is Possible,’ we feel that the mantra also represents what can be done to support the men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting others.”

TEAM IMF

TEAM IMF is The IRONMAN Foundation’s fundraising triathlon team. Team members have the opportunity to race in the IRONMAN event of their choice when they commit to raise $3,500 for The IRONMAN Foundation’s Community Fund. Nine athletes participating in this program through the 2016 IRONMAN Maryland triathlon have raised over $52,000, while collectively all of The Foundation’s TEAM IMF athletes have raised over $503,000 for The IRONMAN Foundation’s Community Fund in 2016.