Rowers raise awareness, funds for American Brain Tumor Association
It seemed only fitting that three Elite Athletic Development | CrossFit Arlington Heights athletes who contributed in excess of 30,000 meters each were part of the group rowing just after sunrise Nov. 22, when the odometer rolled past 1 million meters during The Million Meter Marathon to benefit the American Brain Tumor Association.
The ABTA is the first national nonprofit organization working to advance the understanding and treatment of brain tumors with the goals of improving, extending and ultimately, saving the lives of those impacted by a brain tumor diagnosis.
More than 100 EAD | CFAH athletes, plus special guests including Thomas Hayes, mayor of Arlington Heights; Robin LaBedz, Arlington Heights trustee; and four generations of the Stapleton Family, including 82-year-old patriarch Jim; rowed for less than 18 hours to accumulate 1,111,111 meters. Friends and family members of several athletes who train at EAD | CFAH are impacted by a brain tumor.
The Million Meter Marathon is on track to raise an amount the ABTA deems "amazing" for a first-time event; the fundraising tally will be released once all donations have been collected.
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