NEW YORK — I have always wanted, personally, to have NYC Medics invite many of our volunteers to participate in some kind of group challenge or competition that would be suited just for them. Our disaster relief medics love a tough challenge in outdoor environments, so when we got together last Sunday for the Tough Mudder Challenge on Long Island, we all had a lot of fun.
We did the half-course, which involves negotiating an obstacle course through mud and climbing and physical exertion that tests fitness in the field. It’s muddy. And at the end of the day, it’s easy to become about 10 to 15 pounds heavier with all the mud stuck to your clothes.
It was a great day and we had an amazing team. Thank you to everyone who supported our efforts. Pledges and donations are still coming in, and we’re on track to raise $10,000 from this day and this team, alone. We’re now thinking we’ll do this again next year, and maybe assemble regional Tough Mudder teams to compete with each other to help us raise funds for our mission. [Check out our Facebook page photo book for more photos of us at the event.]
What we learned most from doing this event is that teamwork in fundraising, like teamwork in the field, can be incredibly rewarding—and can have a big impact. A group fundraising event like Tough Mudder can help people achieve their personal goals as well as the giving goals of the nonprofit they love. Our volunteers were deeply engaged and passionate about winning funds for us and crossing that finish line first. [And did we mention that our team won?]
This was our first time, ever, doing the Tough Mudder event, but it won’t be our last. Watch this space for 2017’s dates and times.
— Kathy Bequary
