HOW TO GO
What: United Way Community Challenge Weekend
When: Sept. 9 and 10
Where: Snyder Park
Events: Pickleball, corn hole, kickball, tug of war, 8K run, 5K run and golf.
For more information, log on to uwcommunitychallenge.com.
The United Way of Clark, Champaign and Madison Counties will bring back its annual friendly athletic competition, 12 years after the last event was held.
The United Way Community Challenge Weekend will be held on Sept. 9 and 10 at Snyder Park. Events will include pickleball, corn hole, kickball, tug of war, golf and an 8K and 5K race.
The challenge will also include food trucks, entertainment, a kids’ zone and a 70-foot adult inflatable obstacle course.
The original Corporate Challenge began in 1990. The event saw hundreds of people and more than 30 companies participate in the annual event, United Way Event Chairman Steve McCready said.
“In its day, it was a big deal,” McCready said.
As the United Way’s staff got smaller, it became too overwhelming to host the event, which was discontinued in 2004, McCready said. A golf outing was held in its place and it will continue as part of this year’s event on Sept. 9.
“(The challenge) got everybody engaged with the United Way and created team building within a company,” McCready said.
Both the United Way board members and local companies have asked about bringing back the challenge in recent years, Executive Director Kerry Pedraza said.
The United Way has seen a reduction in giving in recent years due to a variety of factors, McCready said. The event will allow the organization to re-engage with businesses, as well as other individuals from community groups, including millennials.
“We’re looking for new ways to engage and connect,” McCready said. “We want members of our community to know that everyone can invest in the well-being of our community.”
This time around, the event is open to the entire community, Pedraza said, including businesses, neighborhood organizations, churches and others.
The United Way will kick-off its annual campaign at the Champion City Kings game at 7 p.m. Thursday. Pete Noonan will serve as chairman for the second straight year.
Since its inception in 1918, the United Way has awarded $23 million to local charities in Clark County.
As part of the 2015 drive, the organization raised more than $1 million for 50 organizations in the three-county area.
The organization is also looking for sponsors for the event. For more information, including event pricing, log on to uwcommunitychallenge.com.
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