DOTHAN, Ala. – Boys, girls, men, and women of all fitness levels will compete in a local weightlifting competition tomorrow morning.
It’s not just about strength, it’s about collecting toys for children in need this Christmas.
BBS Fitness Center is allowing the community to show off their muscles while also helping to ensure local kids have a good Christmas.
“We found about 60% of the children that attend the boys and girls club are close to the poverty line and don’t get a really good Christmas and that kind of hit me and Scotty hard,” says Glory 2 God ministries Anthony Ford.
That statistic was astonishing for the members who were crafting up ideas to support the local community.
It led them to start the Push-Pull Challenge a bench press and deadlift competition.
The currency used for the entry fee and to spectate is a toy donation.
The toys will be donated to the children of Wiregrass Boys and Girls clubs.
“So we sort of used the weightlifting as a way for us to have fun but to bring the people in and it’s just kind of grown from there. It’s really taken a grassroots of its own,” says BBS Fitness Center owner Scotty Cox.
In the first year of the fundraiser, the fitness center collected enough toys to sponsor one club. The second year, three.
This year their goal is to collect enough toys to support all five Wiregrass clubs.
We don’t want any kid to wake up Christmas morning and not have something so for us who have a lot it’s our goal to give those. That’s what we want to do and we feel, we’re very confident in our fate this year we’re going to make a lot of kids really happy come Christmas morning,” says Ford.
The strongest competitors will take home trophies, but everyone who supports the toy drive is a winner in the eyes of the organizers whose biggest concern is the happiness of children.
“I get emotional about that one. Excuse me. All kids should have Christmas. They all get Christmas with us,” says Cox.
If you would like to compete, registration starts at 8 a.m. Saturday morning. Lifting starts at 10 a.m.
Those just wanting to donate, can drop them off at the gym.
