Hundreds in the London, Ont., area are sweating for a cause on Thursday as United Way Elgin Middlesex holds its biggest fundraising event of the year.
The United Way is marking the 25th edition of the TD Bank StairClimb, which raises $200,000 annually for partner agencies funded by the charity.
The COVID-19 pandemic has prevented organizers from holding their usual stair climb up the hundreds of steps at One London Place. Instead, more than 360 participants will take part in a series of virtual Step Up Sessions streamed live from FitClub Bootcamps in south London.
The first session kicked off at 8:30 a.m. with the final class wrapping up at 5 p.m. Thursday.
United Way’s president and CEO Kelly Ziegner was involved in the very first StairClimb and has held a front-row seat to watching it grow ever since.
“I was a 23-year-old kid then, climbing the stairs with a lot more energy, but we’ve had lots of fun things happen over the years,” Ziegner said.
“At one point, we had our friends from CAMI and Unifor Local 88 carry and assemble a part of a car to the top of One London Place, we had folks from Tepperman’s carrying couches right up the stairs…. I think the thing that keeps that longevity of this event going is everybody’s commitment to their local community.”
That commitment has raised more than $2.8 million throughout the StairClimb’s 25-year run.
Ziegner adds that every donation, no matter the size, creates an impact in London, Middlesex County and Elgin County.
“A smaller donation would provide snacks at kids’ programs, the ability for counselling services would (come from) some of the other larger donation amounts,” Ziegner said.
“Because of the pandemic, there’s increased need in our community, so every dollar counts and every step counts.”
The StairClimb draws to a close on Thursday afternoon, but there’s still more than a week left to send donations.
Pledges for the StairClimb will be accepted until Nov. 12 and can be sent online through the United Way’s website.
Donations can also be dropped off in person at the United Way’s 409 King St. location on Friday between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.
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