Supporting the Community through the YMCA: "Y I Ride"
Coming up on the morning of Tuesday, February 21st the YMCA of Cleveland is hosting their 4th Annual “Y I Ride” fundraising campaign and this year Terra is getting to be a part! Our own Brittany Katz will be one of the riders helping raise money for our local YMCA.
We chatted with our friend Dina Dell at the YMCA to learn more about the fundraiser and what the YMCA has to offer our community.
Can you tell us a little bit about the Y I Ride Bike-a-thon? What is it and how did it come about?
Y I ride is an annual fundraising event for the YMCA. We have done it for 4 years or so, and we keep expanding it. We have increased to include 10 riders this year, and we are so excited! We used to refer to the event as Pedaling for Parkinson's, but we changed the name last year to better represent the all inclusive nature of the fundraising efforts. All of the YMCA programs benefit from the ride. It will be on Tuesday, February 21st from 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM. Riders are already raising money. The real excitement comes during the event as we watch the numbers climb closer to the goal. Our hope is to raise at least $18,000 for this event!
Some people might wonder why it is important to support the YMCA... isn't the Y just another gym or sports club?
The YMCA is a community place where physical, mental, and spiritual health and wellness is prioritized. It is a place where our community can join together as our doors are open to all. We help families of all shapes and sizes. We have a very active senior population, and we love to see them attaining a better quality of life through fitness. We serve so many kids not only with before and after school care, but also with meals.
How does the Bike-a-thon specifically support the YMCA? Do the donations go to any specific programs at the Y?
We don't turn people away due to inability to pay. Scholarships for memberships, child care, Healthy Living programs like Rock Steady Boxing for people with Parkinson's disease and Livestrong at the YMCA for cancer survivors are available due to these fundraising efforts. Every single dollar that we raise will stay at the Cleveland Family YMCA.
I noticed that the Bike-a-thon flyer specifically mentions the Rock Steady Boxing class and the Livestrong at the Y -- can you tell us a bit more about those classes?
Rock Steady Boxing and Livestrong at the YMCA are both classes offered under our Healthy Living umbrella which includes programs that help with chronic disease management. Rock Steady Boxing is an ongoing class for people with Parkinson's. Livestrong at the YMCA is a 12 week program offered to adult cancer survivors. We are proud to offer it twice a year-in the spring and in the fall. In Cleveland, we also offer an afternoon and an evening class so that we can serve those survivors who are still working. Both of these classes focus on improving quality of life for these populations. Clearly fitness is the basis of both programs, but the community and fellowship that naturally occurs truly connects these people. It's amazing to watch and be a part of.
If someone wants to sign up for either of those classes how would they go about doing that? Are there specific registration periods? Do they cost?
Livestrong at the YMCA for cancer survivors is 100% supported by donations like the ones we earn during the Y I Ride campaign. Our cancer survivors pay absolutely nothing and the have a full memebrship to the Y for the 12 weeks of the program. Upon graduation, they are offered a steeply discounted rate to be come a Y member. Rock Steady Boxing is an ongoing program. There is a monthly fee of $60/month for Y Members or $85 for non-members. But again...no one is turned away for inability to pay! We have MANY boxers on scholarship that assists with these fees. Those scholarships come from this fundraiser!
How can people get involved in the Bike-a-thon?
On the day of the bike-a thon, you can call the YMCA (423)476-5573 or you can call Mix 104.1 who will be broadcasting live and make a pledge. Or, watch on Facebook for posts by your favorite rider, and click the link. There will be lots of texting and emailing links going on as we have a friendly competition to see which rider can raise the most money! We are actively taking pledges and donations right now! If you'd like to stop by the Y that morning, we'd love to have you come by and say HELLO!
Anything else you would like to share?
One of the best things about donating to my YMCA is that I literally can see and touch the people that are receiving benefit. It's not money that goes to some giant national non-profit that I can't see how my funds are used. People that I live near, work with, love and know are benefiting every day. I know personally that it is a wonderful investment of my money and time.
Tune in to Mix 104.1 the morning of February 21st from 7:30-9:30 to listen to the event live and pledge to the YMCA in support of the Terra team here or text YIRIDE10 to 71777! Readers can also learn more about the Rock Steady Boxing class and Dina’s involvement by listening in to our interview with Dina on the Terra Girls Podcast.
Brittany Selected as 2021 Community First Honoree
Every year Cleveland State Community College presents the Community First Awards to honor individuals from the region for the ways that they have supported and served the local community. This year, our very own Brittany Katz was selected as an Honoree in Philanthropy!
If you have been around Cleveland for a while, Terra owner Brittany Katz is no stranger to you. A board member of MainStreet Cleveland, the Chamber of Commerce, and currently the “Sargent in Arms” for Cleveland’s Rotary Club, Brittany has been an active member of the Cleveland community since she moved here in 2016. Though she has been creatively using Terra and her other venture Cleveland Coffee & Market, to support the community from the very beginning, after the difficulties of this past year, she wanted to give back in a more direct way. Out of this desire, Brittany, along with friend and owner of Carroll Printing Andrea Boddeker, started what they call “The Small Biz Give.” Each month a portion of proceeds and physical goods from their businesses — Terra Running Company, Cleveland Coffee & Market, and Carroll Printing — are donated to a local non-profit. Already this year, thousands of dollars have been donated locally through The Small Biz Give.
“2020 was the most uncertain year we have ever had. Small businesses rely heavily on the local community and we wanted to support the people who have supported us. The Small Biz Give is another way to include customers in supporting their community as well as helping them understand the difference between us and a big box store… when you buy local you support friends and neighbors, you provide local jobs.”
Beyond The Small Biz Give, Brittany and her crew at Terra Running and Cleveland Coffee & Market have been finding ways to rally around the community since the beginning of 2020’s troubles.
“We started by fundraising with the I Believe in Cleveland shirts to benefit those affected by the tornado last April. We also collected donations from customers to help bring hundreds of coffees to healthcare workers at Tennova. We help local artisans sell their goods [through Cleveland Coffee & Market] and, of course, we always use as many local businesses as possible for all of our own business needs; if we are going to spend money we are going to spend it here.”
Though the Community First Awards happen every year, for 2021, the selection committee focused specifically on individuals who put the community first despite the pandemic and all of its challenges. With this in mind, Brittany was selected by the committee as an Honoree in Philanthropy for how she has served the community with generosity and grit even in the face of her own businesses' challenges. In the words of the committee, “Everything she does puts the community first.”
Congratulations Brittany and a big THANK YOU for all the ways that you serve our community!
Asher's Favorite Things
By Asher Johnson
Terra is at first look a runner’s store, alike to many other running stores all across the world. In Cleveland and the surrounding, however, it is the only one of its kind. Underneath the façade of specialty running and athletic wear, and at its heart, Terra Running Company is much more than a store. It is a player in the substance of society and a building block in Cleveland’s culture. Terra has a love for the people and community it serves. This is my favorite thing about Terra. This underlying purpose, service to the community it loves, guides Terra Running Company’s interactions with customers and lays a solid foundation for any of the endeavors and activities we intend to make.
First and foremost, this is what I love about Terra. Likewise, it offers great products too. Working here gives me the bonus of learning a lot about the qualities of our products. My favorite shoe is the Brooks Levitate 4. I typically run in the Altra Escalante or Altra Vanquish; however, the Brooks Levitate provides a fun boost for an enjoyable speedy 5k. I also really like the Fjallraven Kanken backpacks. They are trendy, but mine has turned out to be pretty durable. I often value style over comfort, but I get both with my Goodr glasses. Without Terra Running Company, I may have never even discovered the brand. Goodrs fit snugly and grip well. I’ve never had one break or become scratched. I really like the circular ones… too bad these sell the fastest.
These three items are some of my favorites, but like I said, the products would be bland without the vision and community of Terra Running Company.