We’re about to open registration (this Saturday!) for Lift for Lost-n-Found, a weight lifting fundraiser where participants will attempt their heaviest possible deadlift or clean & jerk in support of Lost-n-Found Youth, Atlanta’s non-profit that exists to end homelessness among LGBTQI+ youth.
As I reflected on past lifting fundraisers that I’ve hosted, I realized I do a pretty bad job sometimes of celebrating my own achievements. And while I definitely didn’t raise this money alone, before we charge ahead into 2020 events I want to look back and recognize everyone who helped us make the donations of the past few years.
The total amount donated just happens to come to a smidge over $25,000!
Here’s how the numbers break down:
2017 USA Powerlifting Atlanta Women’s Open donates $500 to Eden Village at City of Refuge.
In the first lifting event I hosted, Georgia’s USAPL leadership urged me to include men in the meet, but I resisted in favor of an exclusive ladies lifting experience. The t-shirt design, a unicorn squatting a barbell, was drawn by local artist Melvin Todd. Winners received purple medals and the Best Lifter Awards were framed prints of the squatting unicorn. The event was held at Move Functional Fitness, a gym located in Avondale Estates, just inside Atlanta’s 285 Perimeter.
Spectators paid $10 to attend, and the $500 raised at the door was donated to the City of Refuge’s Eden Village program for homeless women and children.
2018 USA Powerlifting Atlanta Winter Smash donates $800 to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
A snowstorm* (*by Atlanta standards) shut the city down and the Winter Smash was postponed by a month, so a sold out meet ended up being a little smaller than originally planned. But plenty of lifters and spectators still came together to CrossFit Atlanta in January 2018. And $800 from spectator admission fees was donated to the Southern Poverty Law Center to aid their fight against hate and bigotry.
2018 Atlanta Pull for Pride raises $9,553 for Lost-n-Found Youth.
In 2018, we hosted the Atlanta stop of Pull for Pride, a national event series where lifters raise $1 per pound they hope to deadlift on event day. Each event’s proceeds went to a local nonprofit that serves LGBTQ+ homeless youth. The event was held at AK CrossFit and co-hosted by the Fantastic Beasts, Atlanta’s LGBTQI+ Powerlifting Club.
2019 Atlanta Pull for Pride raises $10,100 for Lost-n-Found Youth.
In 2019, Pull for Pride was back and once again benefiting Lost-n-Found Youth. The event was held at CrossFit Downtown Atlanta and co-hosted once again by the Fantastic Beasts, Atlanta’s LGBTQI+ Powerlifting Club. We raised over $10,100!
2019 Squatlanta raises $4,109 for Planned Parenthood Southeast Advocates.
In 2019, the inaugural Squatlanta was held at MET ATL in Atlanta’s Adair Park. It was hosted by the Womxn’s Barbell Club and co-directed by Nikki Thomas. Lifters had a choice of lifting the most weight possible in one of three barbell squats – the overhead squat, where the bar is balanced over the lifter’s head while squatting; the front squat, where the bar is held across the lifter’s collarbone as they squat; and the back squat, where the bar is held across the lifter’s back/shoulders.
Along with MET ATL, two other local businesses, Modern Path and Spectrum Performance, sponsored Squatlanta. Our fundraising goal of $3,000 was smashed as we raised $4,109.
Thanks to everyone who lifted, volunteered, donated, sponsored and attended our weight lifting fundraisers in the last few years. We hope to see you again in 2020.
Squatlanta will be back in November 2020!
2020 Lift for Lost-n-Found is Saturday June 20th. Registration opens February 1 (THIS SATURDAY!).
Join the email list below to be notified right when registration opens.
