Upstate Nevada Launches Campaign to Serve First Responders, Veterans, and Adaptive Athletes
First responders, veterans, and adaptive athletes face daily challenges most of us overlook.
This led to the founding of Upstate Nevada in 2019, a non-profit CrossFit affiliate in Reno, NV, that offers 50% membership discounts to first responders, active military members, veterans, nurses, and teachers, as well as free memberships for individuals with physical or intellectual disabilities.
- “Our gym is open to anybody, but we chase the everyday hero demographic because we believe they are underserved and lack resources for the toll that their jobs take on their mental health,” Kyla Romero, the gym’s manager, said in an interview with the Morning Chalk Up.
Today, 137 of their 179 members – including 65 adaptive athletes – belong to the “everyday hero” group, and this count excludes those who receive free memberships.
Needless to say, their free and subsidized programs need funds, which is why on October 1, Upstate Nevada launched Dollar for Upstate, a campaign with ambitious goals.
The Details
In an effort to “create a stream of outside funding,” Dollar for Upstate is asking people to sign up and pay just one dollar per month, aiming for 5,500 sign-ups by the end of 2025.
- “We want to make it easy to support us. Just $12 a year, and show that every dollar makes a difference,” Romero said.
If they reach this goal, they will generate $66,000, allowing them to expand their programs, upgrade their facilities, and ensure their coaches earn a living wage.
Those interested can donate here.
The Big Picture
Upstate Nevada’s mission for first responders, military personnel, and nurses is to help them be “fit for service,” both mentally and physically. For adaptive athletes, it’s about guiding them to be “fit for life,” Romero explained.
- She added, “Military and first responders, in particular, have substantially higher suicide rates than the general population. We believe fitness and community support are the best ways we can help them combat the traumatic events they witness on a daily basis.”
Ultimately, for Romero, it’s about providing fitness to those who need it most and might otherwise fall through the cracks. She hopes the funds raised through Dollar for Upstate will help them fulfill their larger mission.
Featured image: @upstatenevada / Instagram
