Building Play Sets for Pediatric Cancer Patients Through the One Ivy Virtual 5k
When teammates are spread out across multiple states, connecting everyone in a fun and social way can be difficult, but that doesn’t keep us from trying. Team building and philanthropy are two vital elements within the Ivy Rehab Network, so we put our heads and hearts together and came up with a great way to achieve two goals simultaneously. The One Ivy Virtual 5k was designed as a friendly competition, and over time the stakes have grown to include that key philanthropic element, but it’s not just for the runners in our organization. Participants are invited to run, walk, bike, or even skate their way to the finish line. All that matters is that we come together for a greater cause and have fun while doing it.
For our third annual One Ivy Virtual 5k, we recruited our I Belong and Service Committees to help us incorporate the philanthropic element into the mix. Together we partnered with the Roc Solid Foundation, whose mission is to build hope for every child and family fighting pediatric cancer by providing and building custom backyard play sets.
Why Playsets?
According to Roc Solid, when a child is diagnosed with cancer, the first thing taken away from them is the opportunity to play. Normal family activities are replaced with doctor’s appointments and treatments that leave kids with weak immune systems and potentially the inability to interact in public. A new backyard playset not only provides a safe, germ-free place to play but also gives the child and their family an escape from the reality of fighting cancer and a way to create happy memories together.
This year our 5k saw record participation with 603 registrations! We raised $19,555 in total contributions, which will be used for one live playset built in Virginia and to deliver 9 pre-built playsets to 9 additional children and their families.
“I’m simply thrilled with the turnout for this year’s event; we could not have made such an impact on the Roc Solid Foundation without the help of every single teammate who joined us,” said Gina Otterbein, Director of Learning & Development at Ivy Rehab. “An event like this is a great reminder that even though we’re spread out over many different states, we can still come together to achieve a common goal, and the fact that it was based around fitness is even better. This year we had more participants than ever before, and we look forward to seeing that number grow in the years to come.”
A few fun facts, by the numbers
- 64 first-time participants
- 6 rollerbladers/skaters
- 15 bikers
- The remainder of the participants were runners and walkers
As a team, we had an astounding 222 hours, 33 minutes, and 51 seconds of movement!
Top finishers
While the goal was to simply do something active together and raise awareness and funds for an amazing cause, we proudly applauded every single person who participated in this service project. While some ran to beat personal records, others simply got out there to have fun with teammates. Here’s a shout-out to those who pushed the limits and received an Ivy Award:
Top Finishers (Run)
Cara Parliament (18:45), Forked River, NJ
Justin Rinck (17:40)
Best Team Participation
Clinic award for most teammates participating in the virtual 5k
West Chester, OH (ABC Pediatrics)
Best IVY Spirit
Given to the teammate who readily supported others while also updating the team on their own training progress:
Gage Gordon, Chesapeake, VA
All team members are invited to save the date for next year’s One Ivy Virtual 5k, which will take place June 8-11, 2023. We can’t wait to get back out there and work together to make a difference with another amazing organization.
About Ivy Rehab
We inspire and enable people to live life to the fullest. Founded in 2003, Ivy Rehab is a rapidly growing network of best-in-class outpatient physical, occupational, speech, and ABA therapy clinics represented in 14 states and growing.
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