The City of Fall River “Steps Up” in Support of the American Lung Association
Teams from all over the city will “Peak the Plaza” in Providence
Fall River, MA (February 21, 2012)—
The city of Fall River, Massachusetts, just 16 miles outside of Providence, is coming together in support of the American Lung Association. On February 25, all sorts of teams from Fall River will “Peak the Plaza” and tackle the 595 stairs of One Financial Plaza in downtown Providence.
The Fall River Fire Department has undoubtedly registered for the event with hopes of taking home the Fastest Firefighter trophy for the fourth consecutive year. For the past three years, the department has beaten out hundreds of other firefighters throughout the region to earn the honor.
“The reality is, lung disease is pretty relevant to our profession, it could happen to any one of us at any time,” said Jason Poissant, Team Captain of the Fall River Fire Department stairclimbing team. The department has also had tremendous success in fundraising over the years, and Jason credits that to a number of factors, but mostly to the power of social media. “The American Lung Association makes it easy for someone with little or no knowledge of social media to share their fundraising page(s) with their friends,” continued Poissant.
For the first time, Fall River Police Department has signed on as participants. The Emergency Services Unit of the department will be climbing, led by Team Captain Lieutenant Dave Gouveia. “I heard that there was a Law Enforcement category and decided to enter the team,” said Lt. Gouveia. “The team wanted to get involved because it was a great cause.” The Lieutenant heard about the event because of the fire department’s success in the firefighter competition.
Another strong team hailing from the city is the Fall River Fitness Challenge team. The Fall River Fitness Challenge is a city-wide initiative, started in 2007, that encourages any person living, working or attending school in the city to be active and healthy. “The stairclimb is a great way to incorporate a great workout into a wonderful cause,” explains Grace Gerling, who will climb as part of the team on February 25th. Grace is also the Director of Community Development Recreation, a non-profit organization and a sponsor of the Fall River Fitness Challenge.
Grace also has a close personal connection to the American Lung Association’s mission. Two of her cousins are living with cystic fibrosis, an inherited chronic lung disease that used to mean an early death. Research and advances in medicine in the past couple of decades have extended the lifespan of those who suffer from the disease, and bettered their overall quality of life. “Climbing those stairs gives me some understanding of what they must feel every day, how they must struggle to breathe,” said Gerling.
All athletic abilities are welcome to participate in the Fight for Air Climb. Climbers can walk, or even race to the top and compete for a trophy. Teams can be corporate, friends and family, or members of the community. Each participant is responsible for a $35 registration fee and a $100 fundraising minimum, due by event day. The American Lung Association reinvests seventy-eight cents on every dollar to support their mission.
Following Peak the Plaza, an after party and awards ceremony is held at McFadden’s Restaurant & Saloon, 52 Pine Street; just a short walk from the building. There are gold, silver and bronze medals given out for each gender and age group, as well as awards for top individual and team fundraisers. McFadden’s will offer specials on burgers and beers, as well as their extensive menu, to all in attendance.
Sponsors for the event include: Amica Insurance, GTECH Corporation, Lefkowitz, Garfinkel, Champi & DeRienzo P.C. (LGC&D), Metlife, Northeast Recycle Group, McFadden's Restaurant & Saloon, One Financial Plaza, 95.5 WBRU, Electric Boat Corp, The Claflin Company, BankRI, MEGA Transportation Group and South East Coast Ambulance Service. For more on Peak the Plaza, or to register, visit climbofyourlife.org.
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About the American Lung Association of New England
The American Lung Association of New England is part of the American Lung Association, the oldest voluntary health organization in the U.S. Established in 1904 to combat tuberculosis; our mission today is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. The focus is on air quality, asthma, tobacco control, and all lung disease. ALANE serves CT, MA, ME, NH, RI and VT.
