American Lung Association - Fighting for Air

Event Information

Each year, too many lives are lost to lung disease, and this is your chance to climb, raise money and make an impact in their honor. By joining the Fight for Air Climb, you are making the commitment to fight lung disease so everyone can breathe easier, including you! Join us for one of the most unique events in Tampa. On March 24, 2012, hundreds of people will walk or run their way up all 42 floors of the Bank of America Plaza in downtown Tampa. This is more than your same old 5K; this event challenges you to scale a highrise building!! Whether climbing for a winning time or simply to cross the finish line in honor or in memory of someone with lung disease, this event is a great way to challenge yourself physically. We guarantee that all finishers will discover a new-found respect for healthy lungs!

 
Important Registration Information
The 2011 Fight for Air Climb Tampa was a sold-out event and we are expecting the same for 2012! This means you need to register as early as possible. We are capping the event at 1,000 climbers. Registration will close at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, March 16; however, if we reach 1,000 climbers before that date, we will be forced to close registration early, so don't wait to sign-up! Each participant must raise $100 in addition to the registration fee in order to participate in the event. The event information we email you is important, so please provide an email when registering that you check often.  

Climb Times
Climb times are based on when you register.  The sooner you register, the earlier you get to climb. If you are climbing as part of a team, your climb time will be based on when your captain registers.

All firefighters and firefighter teams will climb later in the morning as before. However, the same process applies to the firefighters meaning that the first firefighter teams to register will  climb before the other teams.

Exceptions to this rule are: The overall fastest male and female will have the choice to climb alone or climb later with their teams. The overall fastest team from 2011 will climb next. The overall fastest firefighter and firefighter team will have the same opportunity at the beginning of the firefighters' start times. 

Climb times will be sent by email and posted on the website the week of the event. We can not set climb times until registration closes and will not know the climb order until the week of the event.

Event Overview:

The fundraising efforts of all participants will support our mission to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. Join us in our Fight for Air! 

 
The registration fee is $25 per person with a required minimum fundraising goal of $100.00 per person (even if you are on a team). We encourage you to submit your pledge donations before March 24th. If that is not possible, we will accept them on event day; however, you will need to be  prepared to arrive earlier on event day for a longer registration process.  

All participants are professionally timed and ranked by timing chips.  All  pre-registered climbers will receive an official Fight For Air Climb Tampa T-shirt, a medal, and giveaways. There will be a pre and post climb party in the plaza courtyard with music, warm-ups, refreshments and more on event day.  

You can get involved by:

• Being an Event Sponsor
• Registering as a Team Captain
• Registering as a Team Member
• Registering as an Individual
• Registering as a Spectator
• Pledging a donation to a Registrant
• Becoming an Event Volunteer
• Joining the Event Planning Committee

Forming A Team:
Why climb alone? Forming a stairclimb team is a fun way to share this event with family, friends and co-workers. Your team will support each other as you train, fundraise and complete the event together. When you all reach the end, the celebration will be that much more rewarding. You can form a corporate team or a family team for this event. You can easily manage your team's progress from your team's personal web page.

 
Corporate Teams
Corporate teams are a fantastic way to engage your employees in a team-building activity that promotes healthy living as well as serves a good cause.  Team uniforms on event day are a great way to represent your company! Everyone will feel a huge sense of accomplishment when they reach the finish line and raise money for the American Lung Association. Check out More Fundraising Ideas for great ways to fundraise at the office. 

Family Teams
Lung disease touches families from all walks of life, whether it be asthma, emphysema, tobacco addiction or lung cancer. If your family has been touched by lung disease or knows someone who has, join the American Lung Association by forming a stairclimb team. Although each member of the team must raise the $100 fundraising minimum, working together as a family to raise funds makes it easier and more enjoyable. Check out More Fundraising Ideas for tips on raising funds as a family.

Age Restrictions
The Fight for Air Climb is a nationwide American Lung Association event and open to climbers 10 years old and above. A waiver signed by the parent or guardian is required for those 10-17 years of age. Please note that, in order to ensure the safety of all climbers, children who have not reached their tenth birthday are not permitted in the stairwell on event day. Children must pay the $25 registration fee and raise the $100 fundraising minimum in order to participate.

Walk-Ups
We will allow walk-ups on the day of the event for a fee of $135. Walk-ups are not guaranteed a climb time and will be able to participate only if a time spot opens up on the event day. Walk-ups are also not guaranteed a t-shirt or medal, so it is best to register before the event. Walk-ups may not be able to climb with their team of choice and their fundraising minimum and climb time will not apply to that team.

Spectators
Your family and friends are invited to cheer you on as you climb to the top! Spectators can register online or on the day of the event for a $10 fee. Children 10 and under are free. On the day of the event, spectators will be given a wristband and access to the refreshments. Spectators do not get a t-shirt or a medal. When your climb time is called, your spectators will make their way to the 42 floor (using the elevator) and wait for you to cross the finish line. You will then head down to the courtyard together.

Volunteers
This event would not run without our amazing volunteers who join together to help make it so successful. It is an exciting day for volunteers with responsibilities such as cheering on the climbers, handing out water, removing timing chips, helping our timing company and much more. If you or someone you know would like to volunteer for this event, please register as a volunteer and fill out the necessary information. There will be 3 shifts on March 24, so please check off the appropriate shift you are interested in. Please remember that we rely heavily on our volunteers and that each volunteer has a specific assigned task, so we ask that you keep your committment to volunteer on March 24. If you sign-up and cannot make it, please let Danielle Cohen (see Contact  for more information) at least 3 weeks prior to the event.

Volunteer Shifts:
First Shift: 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.--Set-Up Volunteers. These volunteers should be able to lift heavy objects and move freely without a problem.

Fundraising
It is required for all participants to raise the $100 in order to participate on March 24, 2012. We do encourage you to go above and beyond that fundraising goal. This is easier than you think! Try asking 10 friends for $10 each. Not sure how much to ask people for a donation? Tell them to donate $1 a flight for $42.00. The best fundraising tip is to start as early as possible. Try not to wait until the last minute. Check out the More Fundraising Ideas for more great tips. If you need additional help or want some creative ideas on how to reach your minimum, please contact our office at (727) 828-0724. Our staff is happy to help coach you and to provide fast and efficient ideas to reach your fundraising goal.

Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by the law. The American Lung Association is a registered 501 (c) 3 organization. Please make checks payable to the American Lung Association.

Incentive Items
Don't miss out on the chance to earn one or all of these great new fundraising incentive items. Items will be mailed after each deadline.

Incentive Item #1
Have $150 in your individual account by November 1 and receive a battery operated fan! This hand held device is perfect to help cool you down as you climb up the 42 flights of stairs on event day or even while training.

Incentive Item #2
Have $300 in your individual account by January 20 and receive an American Lung Association drawstring backpack.

Incentive Item #3
Have $500 in your individual account by March 1 at 8:30 a.m. and receive a special climb shirt.

StairClimb Training
It is strongly encouraged that you train for this event. The Bank of America Plaza will be available for training on the stairs for registered participants only on Saturday mornings from 7:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m starting on Saturday, August 6. Training days will then expand to Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. starting January 5. You must bring your registration confirmation to training and check-in with security by the loading dock. Restrooms during training are located inside the Plaza Fitness gym in the building. The Bank of America Plaza and the American Lung Association are not responsible for lost items. Please do not leave sweatshirts, phones, keys, etc. in the stairwell. We are very grateful that the Bank of America Plaza staff allows us to use the building for training, so please respect the property and remember that this is a privilege that some climbs do not get.

Event Information
Timing results will be posted on the website by Wednesday, March 28, 2012.

Awards
Trophies will be given out to both females and males who place 1st in the following age categories. 2nd and 3rd place certificates will be awarded for these categories as well. A trophy will be awarded to the overall fastest male and overall fastest female.

10-17, 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+

Fastest Team-Trophies will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams who place the fastest. Team ranking will be based on the finishing time of your top 3 climbers.

Largest Team- A prize will be awarded to the largest team.

Highest Fundraising Teams-A prize will be awarded to our top 3 fundraising teams.

Highest Fundraising Individuals- Prizes will be awarded to the top 5 fundraisers

Firefighters- A trophy will be awarded to the overall fastest firefighter. Second and 3rd fastest firefighters will receive certificates. The fastest firefighter team will also receive a trophy.