Riverside graduate helps area children

Tears and smiles filled the faces of those present at Riverside Campus for the unique and heartwarming 24-hour fundraising event.

The 24 in 24 Challenge designed in 2015 by Anna Dey, a 2006 Riverside High School graduate and coowner of Anytime Fitness Concord, challenges participants to run a mile every hour for 24 consecutive hours.

In addition to challenging members physically, Dey wanted to do something charitable.

“I also wanted it to feel local, like we’re raising money for kids in our back yards,” she said.

Last year with 15 volunteers, they raised $13,000 for a Lake County child fighting leukemia.

The fundraiser has significantly grown since then.

“We went from 15 athletes to 50 and we were able to raise $31,000 this year,” she said.

Each participant went into the community seeking sponsorship and the proceeds went toward A Special Wish-Cleveland, a nonprofit, charitable organization dedicated to granting the wishes of children under the age of 21 who have been diagnosed with a lifethreatening disorder. Specifically, the funding will help fulfill wishes for three Lake County children.

Dey said that two of the children want to go to Walt Disney World and the other child who really loves cars wants a car-themed basement.

“It’s really amazing mainly because it started

Last year with 15 volunteers, they raised $13,000 for a Lake County child fighting leukemia.

out as an idea that kept evolving,” she said. “We had both men and women, ranging in ages from 15 to 61 years old, and ranging in average mile pace from 5 to 15 minutes per mile, that took on the challenge. What these 50 challengers all had in common is a commitment to fitness, and more importantly a commitment to wanting to help and support these three brave kids.”

The challenge itself was not easy as temperatures rose to 90 degrees at times. However, everyone completed the first 13 hours totaling 13 miles and many ran for the entire challenge.

“It’s hard, but nothing we go through in the 24 hours can compare to what these brave kids go through day in and day out. And I think that thought is what pushes most of the athletes to finish,” Dey said.

SUBMITTED Anytime Fitness member Ashley Zuchelli earns her finisher’s medal from one of this year’s 24 in 24 Challenge recipients, Mya, on July 24 at Riverside Campus.