Charity Box-a-thon ready to go a few rounds

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Eoin Devereux
Neepawa Baner & Press

BOXE Neepawa Combat Sports and Fitness Club has scheduled a charity Box-a-thon for Saturday, Feb. 10. Club owner and operator Derek Pearson said the money that’s raised from the event will be split equally between the Boxing Club and Neepawa and Area Palliative Care. “In terms of how it will support the club, the money will go towards the purchase of some new equipment. Some new heavy bags, things like that.

A few items are getting bit old and are due for replacement. But we also wanted this to be about more than that though. We wanted to help out some worthy local cause. That’s why it was decided that half of whatever amount we raise will go directly to Palliative Care. That ensures that [the money] stays here in the community and helps those in the community.” Pearson said.

Pearson added that the Box-a-thon will consist of participating club members canvassing for pledge sponsors in advance of the day. Then, on the day of the Box-a-thon, money will be accumulated through every ‘round’ in which the participants train during a standard boxing circuit. A circuit involves a constant rotation between multiple training stations, such as jump rope, hitting the tire, shadow boxing and hitting the speed and heavy bags. Once a person has completed the circuit, that’s considered ‘one round’. Pearson said that doing five to ten rounds can be extremely difficult, so it’s great that the members are willing to put their bodies on the line for a local cause.

“We are hoping for a fairly healthy turnout from our members. We have a good core group willing to do some training for as long as it take to raise money that day. So, hopefully, we get some generous community members who want to challenge someone involved,” stated Pearson. “A normal complete training circuit would consist of 12 rounds and that’s a very taxing workout for even the most conditioned athlete, but if someone tells me that they’d give a dollar for every round no matter what, I’d train a hundred rounds.”

Pearson stated that donations can also be dropped off at the Boxing Club the day of the Box-a-thon and that even non-members of the club can participate the day of, as long as they have arranged a sponsor.  Information on the Box-a-thon can be obtained by visiting the gym at 287 Hamilton Street on any weeknight after 5:00 p.m., before Feb. 10.