PARKE CO., Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Some give everything so America can be free and one local gym is helping those who served this country one workout at a time
51 Bridges CrossFit recently held a 24-hour workout challenge as a way to honor and remember fallen service members, first responders, and even teachers and owner of 51 Bridges CrossFit Jen Pendleton mentioned how some workouts can me just more than a way to stay healthy
“We wanted our CrossFit community to help the community at large,” Pendleton said. “One of the things that’s near and dear to CrossFit athletes are hero workouts.”
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Heros can come in all shapes and sizes
“We did a hero workout honoring 24 different veterans, first responders, and we even had one teacher hero workout who died in a school shooting protecting her students,” Pendleton said
They helped raise over $13,000 and that money will go towards the Parke County Veteran’s Council and Raymond Leonberger mentioned how the money will help them use their vehicle to transport veterans but also for other things in the veteran community
“All of the maintenance and upkeep of the vehicle, the insurance and things like that,” Leonberger said. “The money we raised also goes towards the Park County Joint Honor Guard. it’s between the American Legion and Vets at the VFW. We provide services for all funerals, color guards and other things that happen in our area. It allows us to provide the proper respect and final salute for our fallen veterans.”
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The Parke County Veterans’ Council helps honor those that helped America keeps its freedom
“We have an aging veteran population in Parke County,” Leonberger said. “Most of our veterans are from Vietnam and before and as they age it’s harder for them to get around. We have widows here that can’t get around on their own anymore. Some are going blind. Even the veterans if they need to go shopping, if they need a ride to the hospital, they’re going to need help going to the grocery store, too. So, it allows us and our volunteer driver network to really take on that burden for them.”
The veterans’ council is thankful for the partnership and support from the community, but they know the mission continues
“I couldn’t be more thankful,” Leonberger said. “Knowing that the community can rally and come together to just make that last push to show what it means to them, that’s huge. Anywhere you go and seeing it in a small town is great and if we can make this bigger, I’m all for it.”
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To learn more about 51 Bridges CrossFit and this workout that they plan on doing again next year, click here to visit their Facebook page. To learn more about the veterans’ council and their hour of operations in Parke County, click here
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