In 2018, we’re hoping to create memorable moments for all who play a part in our mission. But we need YOUR help.
The Ultimate Peak Moment
I still remember the feeling of crossing the finish line at Ironman Wisconsin in 2005, even though it was over 12 years ago.
The feeling as I turned onto the capitol square, seeing and hearing the cheers of thousands of people – most I’d never even met. The rush of excitement as I made the final turn onto MLK Blvd. and my feet hit the carpeted mats that led down the final finish chute. Hearing the words “Katie Lewitzke (my maiden name) from Verona, Wisconsin, YOU are an Ironman!” I’d hoped to hear those words since I started training for triathlons three years earlier.
Finish lines are so much more than just a line on the pavement. They’re a symbol. The final chapter in an often challenging and always courageous journey towards a goal. If you’ve ever crossed the finish line of an event, regardless of the distance, I’d be willing to bet you felt the same rush of pride and accomplishment.
Kids Deserve a Great Ending
This year, we want to give that same memorable finish experience to our kids. We want them to feel valued, proud, and mostly, like the inspirational rockstars they are! So many of our athletes have worked for months to get to race day, and by impressing upon them the value of finishing what they set out to do, we’re laying a foundation for a lifetime of hard work and self discipline.
Plus, as a parent, watching your child’s face as they come down that final finish chute and cross the finish line…we’ll it’s one of the best moments I’ve ever experienced. Am I right, parents?
The Power of Moments
This fall, I was fortunate enough to hear a guest speaker at Epic, where Dan Heath, the author of The Power of Moments, spoke about creating “peak” moments. These moments shape our views and memories of organizations. When we fail to recognize opportunities to create these moments, we miss out on meaningful relationships.
The content immediately spoke to how I want to connect with all stakeholders at Tri 4 Schools:
- Our athletes and their families
- Our volunteers
- Our donors and sponsors
- Our schools and their staff
So, what are we going to do?
We’ve got some amazing ideas to help make our events and programs even more memorable in 2018. Check out our top ideas for recognizing athletes below (we’ll be featuring our plans for our other groups in future posts).
- Names on athlete race bibs. Makes this more of a keepsake and allows spectators and volunteers to cheer on our athletes throughout their race
- A 2018 Finishers Banner Kids will sign the banner after each race, and as the year goes on, the banner will fill with names of the nearly 2,000 kids who crossed the finish line.
- Red carpet for our finisher chute. We want our kids to feel like rockstars when they come down the finish chute, and nothing says “royal” like red carpet
- Names announced during the finisher chute. Imagine how awesome your child will feel as we call out their name (and the speed-induced finishing kick)
- Finisher Reunion Area for families. This would include a branded backdrop with our logo on it so families and athletes can get their own photos to commemorate their accomplishment
- Fan Zone at Packet Pick-up – we want to create an art zone so families can make posters for their athlete the night before the race during our early packet pick-up, and even on race morning, too! Who doesn’t get excited when they see a poster with their name on it?
- Finisher Pins. We want to recognize athletes who are committed to the sport by honoring their repeated accomplishments. When an athlete has completed three of our triathlons, they’ll receive a red pin to attach to their finisher medal. After ten triathlons, they’ll receive a gold pin. Just another way to say “Wow, way to go! You’re really working hard to make healthy choices!”
We Need Your Help
All of these ideas take time and effort. Leave that to us. We have an incredible team who are all-in on making these components happen for our athletes.
A lot of these ideas also require funding.
That’s where we’re hoping you can help.
Did you see an idea that really speaks to you, or to a company you know? Would your business be willing to sponsor one or more of these experiences for our kids?
If so, we want to hear from you! We want every athlete that crosses the finish line of our triathlons to remember their experience one, five, and even ten years down the road.
We want every child to feel like this:
To find out how you can get involved, email me at katie@tri4schools.org, call 608-845-9879, or fill out our Sponsor Contact Form.
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