Thanks to our friends at Sagacious Consultants, we’ve got our first airport sign!  Check out the reason behind this philanthropic initiative.

Note – this post originally appeared on the Sagacious Blog.

Charitable giving and philanthropic endeavors are very important to Sagacious as a company. We strive to help bring awareness to the charitable initiatives of non-profits making a difference in our communities. This summer Sagacious has partnered with non-profits, including Tri 4 Schools, the American Red Cross, and UW Health, on several Sagacious-sponsored ads in the Dane County Regional Airport.

The photo above features the ad for Tri 4 Schools, an organization that gets kids active through swimming, biking, and running events to fight childhood obsesity. Sagacious has supported Tri 4 Schools for the last few years by hosting a UGM happy hour and fundraiser at Buck & Badger where Sagacious donated $10 for each person who attended. This year, we will be hosting a client appreciation party and fundraiser again on August 30, 2015 from 6 pm – 11 pm. We hope you join the party.

There are many reasons we’re fans of Tri 4 Schools. Their reach is quite impressive – since their founding in 2011, the nonprofit has helped over 6,000 kids, ages 3-14, complete a triathlon, mud run, or fun run, raising more than $150k for 200 area schools.

“When I started this organization, there is no way I would have dreamed that this type of advertising would be possible for us,” said Katie Hensel, Founder and Executive Director. “With our shoestring budget, every dollar is closely scrutinized, so we do as much free advertising as we can. This opportunity allows us to raise awareness on a scale that was previously unattainable for us, and hopefully will spread the message and mission of our organization to many more people in our community.”

 

In Dane County, where the average budget is for physical education is $250 per year, Tri 4 Schools activities help supplement school health and fitness efforts. Any child who qualifies for free or reduced lunch at school is able to participate free of charge thanks to a scholarship program, transportation assistance, and equipment donations. Nearly 25% of the attendees participate through this program.

Jay Matthews, a teacher at Lindbergh Elementary School, said “Tri 4 Schools is making such a difference in the lives of our students. We’re so thankful they reached out to our school, as it has been an overwhelmingly positive experience for our kids, and the funds earned will improve our programs more than we could have ever imagined.”

 

Many children do not have safe and healthy options after the end of the school day, so Tri 4 Schools created the Exercise to Achievement after-school program in 2014 to help kids train for a triathlon or mud run, while instilling healthy habits that would help them both inside and outside the classroom. Over 500 kids, including Kevin below, have completed the program so far, and learn everything from running form and hydration to healthy eating and the principles of goal-setting. Kevin has participated in the Exercise to Achievement program for the last two years at Whitehorse Middle School, and was named Team Captain for his inspiring pre-race speeches. He has been the star of the adaptive triathlon, with a crowd of thousands filling the stands to watch him finish.