Paddleboarders bond on 24-mile trek along Catawba River, raise over $70K for cancer services
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The non-profit best known for the 24 Hours of Booty event every year in the Myers Park neighborhood has come up with a new and just as epic fundraising event.
The 24 Foundation kicked off their inaugural Dam to Dam fundraising event this morning on the Catawba River.
The 24 Foundation hosts several events throughout the year, but its founder wants Dam to Dam to be just another event people look forward to and mark of their calendars, just like 24 Hours of Booty.
Spencer Lueders, said, “It’s a way to get people who don’t ride or walk to participate. This is a water event and we have people here who’ve never participated in a 24 Foundation event, so we have new people that we’re bringing into the organization, helping support the cancer community.”
Paddlers weren’t on the journey alone; the group had a CMPD escort, and support boats with water, first-aid, snacks, electrolytes, and anything else they may need.
What a morning! I got to paddleboard 11 of 24 miles down the Catawba River for@24foundation’s inaugural “Dam 2 Dam” event. These 30+ paddlers are raising money for cancer support programs in our community. A beautiful start to the day. @Queen_City_News pic.twitter.com/1dPxXUh6z1
— Tara Lane (@TaraLanewx) June 21, 2024
The group also stopped for frequent breaks and enjoyed a catered lunch at the halfway point, and a post-paddle party at the end.
Every paddler who applied had to commit to raising at least $1,500 prior to the event, but they were also hand-selected for their reason why they wanted to paddle.
Many have very personal connections to the disease, whether they had a friend or family member who was diagnosed, or they themselves have been on a cancer journey.
REGISTER HERE: 24 Hours of Booty Fundraising Event
That’s the case for Lauren DeFrank, who not only went through her own battle but lost her husband to cancer as well.
“I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in my senior year at Queens, University of Charlotte and that’s when I was introduced to Susan and Spencer Lueders with The 24 Foundation and they covered my college tuition my senior year, so that I could continue going to school while getting cancer treatment.”
The event raised more than $70,000 dollars. The 24 Foundation since it started in 2002 has raised more than $27 million for cancer programs in the Charlotte area.
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