Charity Challenge
serves up some goofy fun to raise money for Central Florida’s charities.
Andy Palmer was convinced that in order to go fast on the obstacle course at Saturday’s 32nd Annual Charity Challenge, his shorts had to be pulled up high.
Just before the start of the relay race outside Camping World Stadium, he pulled them up Steve Urkel-style before running down the lane, jumping over the hurdle, highstepping over tires, tip-toeing down the balance beam, swooping over a ditch and crawling under a fence, before doing it all again on the way back.
Palmer said the trick worked.
“You’ve got to be aerodynamic,” he said with a chuckle.
Of course, the wardrobe adjustment didn’t help the woman after him, who stumbled on the balance beam, putting his team behind.
But having a good time and donating to charity was more important than finishing first in a race, said Palmer, 27, who was representing a team from Westgate Resorts.
“It’s a fun way to get involved in something they may not have been otherwise,” he said. “It gets the competitive juices going. When you think about donating to charity, it’s very cool.”
Last year, the challenge raised more than $260,000 for 85 charities. Totals for this year were not immediately available Saturday.
The event was founded by Seminole County Commissioner Lee Constantine and has raised about $6 million for charity since it started.
“It’s about bringing the community together, having some fun and raising money for charity,” Constantine said.
The companies who donate the money can pick which charities to donate to, Constantine said.
Starting out with just four teams in a back yard in Altamonte Springs, Saturday’s event packed the grounds of Camping World Stadium with more than 70 teams and 10,000 people.
“I started it as a young [Altamonte Springs] city councilman. “It’s become a passion of mine. It’s been a dream that has become a reality.”
Teams are made up of employees from the hospitality, apartment management and hotel industries.
Other than the obstacle course, there was hot-shot basketball, volleyball, tug-ofwar, a kayak course and inner tube relay race.
About 150 volunteers set up events and kept times and scores as the teams competed.
Over at the inner tube relay race on adjacent Lake Beardall, there are no style points — participants just paddle as fast as possible.
Some paddled the inner tubes from their back, others on the front.
Larae Jimenez, 24, with Towne Park, a hospitality services company, paddled furiously on her inner tube from her back, as she was cheered on by her teammates.
“It was the easiest way to go,” she said with a laugh.
It was her first time participating in the event, and said it was a good team building experience.
“It’s all about teamwork, helping each other onto the inner tube,” she said. “Our company is one big family.”