ClimbUP inspired participants to get outside – and share on social media.
Local love has shown its power during the inaugural ClimbUP for United Way.
Our community raised more than $56,000 over the course of the 10-day ClimbUP Challenge, which culminated this past Saturday. Participating on their own or as part of a team, our neighbours were invited to get outside, get active and have fun – all in support of local families, individuals and the most vulnerable in our community. Community members hiked, ran, walked and, in some cases, biked their way to a minimum of 28,300 steps over the 10 days.
Funds raised from this year’s event will help support programs that serve immediate needs of our vulnerable neighbours, and provide continued support to families and individuals as we slowly begin the recovery from COVID-19. These funds are critical to ensuring everyone in our community receives the help they need.
ClimbUP participants had fun sharing on Twitter and Instagram.
An exciting new challenge
ClimbUP for United Way evolved from the popular United Way Tech Grind event that saw teams of tech-savvy companies traverse the Grouse Grind in support of United Way over the past few years. The new 10-day virtual ClimbUP challenge opened the doors to individuals and teams from across the province to participate, have fun and re-connect with co-workers, friends and families – while remaining socially distant during these challenging times.
Over 30 teams and 200 participants took to local trails, routes and neighbourhoods between September 23 and October 3 to secure their 2,830 steps a day over 10 days or a total of 28,300 steps.
This year’s event saw past Tech Grind companies and teams from WSP, Simon Fraser University, Deloitte and others along with former top fundraising team Capilano University compete alongside new teams from BC Hydro, Dentons LLP and ILWU to name just a few.
Sponsors of the event – including IT/IQ Tech Recruiters, FortisBC and the University of British Columbia – also stepped UP with fundraising teams. Neptune Terminal’s team, the Neptune Community Connectors, opened up their employee team to invite residents from the North Shore’s Lower Lonsdale community to join their team in collectively showing their local love for their neighbourhood.
The CapU team showed their ClimbUP spirit on social meda.
Exploring this beautiful place we call home
ClimbUP did more than just fundraise for our community; it encouraged people to get out outside, connect with and explore the neighbourhoods they live in and support. And that’s exactly what ClimbUP participants did. Many participants shared their ClimbUP journeys through Twitter during the days of the Challenge, highlighting trails, parks and neighbourhoods that they love. Thank you to everyone who shared your Challenge journey and beautiful community photos with us.
Local trail and routes were also promoted with participants and highlighted on the ClimbUP website to help encourage people to discover new local favourite trails and hiking spots.
Rain or shine – ClimbUP participants got out to explore the place we call home.
Competition for title of ClimbUP Champion was fierce – and the winners are…
Teams and individuals alike stepped UP their fundraising game to get on top of the ClimbUP leaderboard this year. Although Keith Holmes of the WSP – We Scale Peaks team was hot on his heels with an incredible fundraising total of just under $2,700, it was Feras Elkhalil of IT/IQ Tech Recruiters who came UP on top with over $3,000 raised to claim title as the Individual ClimbUP Champion!
The race for team top honours was another close one between IT/IQ Tech Recruiters and WSP – We Scale Peaks. In the end, it was IT/IQ Tech Recruiters netting the most donations and raising an incredible $9,000 for community! That means it’s a clean sweep of the Championship for IT/IQ Tech Recruiters who walks away with bragging rights and a virtual trophy they can show off until next year. Congratulations!
We’d also like to send a shout out to those who took great strides to not only meet, but exceed their step goals this year. Gwenne Farrell takes top honours for logging over 200,000 steps through the Strava app during the course of her 10-day challenge journey. There were a number of other individuals who were close to reaching the 100,000 step mark – way to go! You are all ClimbUP champions in our book.
ClimbUP brought together strong partnerships and friendly competition.
Partners make it possible
Partners played a crucial role this year in making ClimbUP possible. Despite the economic uncertainty that we faced earlier this year, our ClimbUP partners stepped UP and committed to their support early to make it possible for everyone to ClimbUP in support of those most vulnerable in our community.
Leading the way was IT/IQ Tech Recruiters. Since its inception as Tech Grind, IT/IQ Tech Recruiters, and its CEO Feras Elkhalil, championed the event within the tech and broader business community as well as with its employees, raising thousands of dollars for United Way in the process.
FortisBC, who first came on as a sponsor of Tech Grind last year, re-confirmed its commitment to ClimbUP. Not only did they form a ClimbUP team that was supported by employees from across the Province, but they also encouraged participants to exceed their step goals by offering incentive prizing to those who achieve 30,000 steps.
Neptune Terminals was the force behind inspiring participants to get posting and share their ClimbUP journey with each other on Twitter. While RBC helped keep our ClimbUP Team Captains informed as they rallied their teams to hit their fundraising goals. And UBC used its vast communication channels and social media star power (a.k.a. Santa Ono) to engage more people in supporting their community through ClimbUP.
All sponsors did their part to help promote participation in ClimbUP, including CTV Vancouver and their parent company Bell Canada.
From all of us at United Way, thank you to our sponsors for your amazing show of local love for our community.
CTV Morning Live hosts got into the ClimbUP competition!
Our greatest thanks goes out to all ClimbUP for United Way participants and donors, to participating employers and teams – and, of course, our sponsors. Your efforts to help make life-changing connections possible for vulnerable families and individuals in need across our community is truly appreciated.
Not only are we amazed with what you’ve achieved, but so are many of our local community leaders. Check out this message from Santa Ono, President and Vice Chancellor of the University of British Columbia:
Because you love your community and showed your local love, more of your neighbours will get the help they need. We cannot thank you enough.
See you next year!
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