Avalon CrossFit, 545 Medford Street in the new Knight of Columbus building located is hosting a free charity event for the people of Kenya on Feb. 16th at 11:30 a.m. The event, called Hope for Kenya is just one of four CrossFit For Hope fundraising initiatives. A suggested donation of $15 per person is suggested
“The heart of the workout is a high intensity 12 minutes of round after round of 50 squats, 30 Pushups, and 15 pullups,” said Cori DiDonato, owner of Avalon CrossFit. “We want as many people as possible to be able to participate, and these three simple exercises can be made accessible to everyone- we have modifications for all fitness levels, so everyone in the community is invited to participate” she said.
The donations will go directly to the nonprofit Koins for Kenya. Koins for Kenya is a volunteer organization, meaning all administrative and fundraising activities are done by volunteers so the entire donation can be channeled to the projects. Past Koins projects include completion of more than 30 school buildings, including the Seam Michels’ School for Special Needs Children, 3 borehole wells, a dam, water retention cisterns, latrines, a chicken ranch, goat herds, the Koins Farm, science lab, libraries, a workshop, community center and tree planting. This year the donations will go for more school buildings, and clean water wells.
Avalon CrossFit’s staff is partial to this cause due to their direct connection to the people of Kenya. Assistant General Manager and local Charlestown resident, John Pontius, spent a semester abroad in Nairobi, Kenya and saw first hand the state of need of the country.
“My time in Kenya was extremely humbling. You don’t realize how good you have it until you are placed into their world,” said Pontius.
Avalon CrossFit Coach Mo Davidson also spent time in Kenya working with young children as a mentor and aide. “I worked for a non-profit for six weeks educating high school students on safe sex practices in 2009,” added Davidson. “Donations for this workout are just one small way to help the people who have less than us.”
Registration for the event is open to the public and participants should go to http://avaloncrossfit.com/hope or e-mail [email protected] to sign up for the free class, make a donation, or find out more information call (617) 580-3120.