April Check in for Charity

Each month we choose a charity and ask you to check in on social media using our hashtags for the month. For each check in we donate .10 to the charity of the month.

Our April check in for charity will help one of our own, Kyle Bryant and The Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA). FARA is an organization dedicated to the pursuit of scientific research leading to treatments and a cure for Friedreich’s ataxia.

Friedreich's ataxia (also called FA or FRDA) is a rare inherited disease that causes nervous system damage and movement problems. It usually begins in childhood and leads to impaired muscle coordination (ataxia) that worsens over time.  In Friedreich’s ataxia the spinal cord and peripheral nerves degenerate, becoming thinner. The cerebellum, part of the brain that coordinates balance and movement, also degenerates to a lesser extent. This damage results in awkward, unsteady movements and impaired sensory functions. The disorder also causes problems in the heart and spine, and some people with the condition develop diabetes. The disorder does not affect thinking and reasoning abilities (cognitive functions). Friedreich’s ataxia is caused by a defect (mutation) in a gene labeled FXN. The disorder is recessive, meaning it occurs only in someone who inherits two defective copies of the gene, one from each parent. Although rare, Friedreich’s ataxia is the most common form of hereditary ataxia, affecting about 1 in every 50,000 people in the United States. Both male and female children can inherit the disorder.

When you are at the gym this month check in on social media and use the hash tags #checkinforcharity and #rideallnight to add 10 cents to our donation! 

On Friday, April 20th we will be hosting a special workout (5:30 PM) (suggested donation $20) and screening of The Ataxian (6:30 PM) which will both benefit FARA.

Following the workout and screening there will be a Q & A with Kyle Bryant.

"The Ataxian" is a documentary which follows Kyle Bryant and a team of friends as they attempt the most grueling bicycle race in the world, The Race Across America (RAAM). The feature-length movie, "The Ataxian," spotlights a man whose will and determination carry him and his teammates across a continent under almost impossible conditions-an act that sparks others to take action in their own lives.

The 5:30 PM workout will be scalable to athletes of all levels and abilities. Screening tickets are available for a suggested minimum donation of $20 to the Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA), although any amount is welcome.

Please help FARA continue the urgent pace of research to treatments and a cure for FA. If you are coming just for the screening, the film will start at 6:30 p.m. (Run time is 1:20.)


REGISTER HERE

CLICK HERE for the Ataxian trailer.


Thank you for your check-ins for March for Shannon!!!