For Shane Venezia, owner of Crossfit No Surrender in Covington, there’s nothing more important than giving back, especially when it comes to kids. A father of two and a U.S. Army veteran, Shane is passionate about fighting for the defenseless and giving a voice to those who have none.
On July 31, Shane will run a 50-kilometer ultra marathon to raise awareness and critical funding to for Hope House – all to fight child abuse and trafficking on the Northshore. With the support of his Crossfit family and the local community, Shane hopes to raise $50,000 by July 31. His campaign is aptly named Kilometers for Kids: Restoring Their Childhood.
Shane was initially introduced to Hope House by his friend Leslie Landry. (That’s the power of a strong community advocate!) Shane took a tour of our headquarters in Covington, and he knew right away that he wanted to support our cause.
“The staff was so welcoming and took time to explain exactly what they do. When I left there after seeing the teddy bear wall and button vase, I was done. I just knew I had to do this,” Shane says.
Shane’s desire is to help bring awareness of our cause to the community. Child abuse and trafficking isn’t something that happens infrequently or in far-away places. It’s more common than people realize, and it’s right here in our own backyard.
“I feel that if the tragedies happening to these children were happening to anything else – dolphins, turtles, birds, etc. – it would be all over the news. We can either choose to take a stand for those who cannot stand for themselves, or we can sit back and watch. If we choose to do nothing, we’ll see our children and their future go down the drain. We have to take action,” says Shane.
There are several ways you can get involved:
- Donate to the cause! All funds will go directly to Hope House to support the local fight against child abuse and trafficking. Individuals who donate $100 or more will automatically be entered to win a special beach vacation package in Gulf Shores!
- Take it to the next level. Sign up to become an individual fundraiser! The top fundraisers will win free Crossfit memberships!
- Become a corporate sponsor! Visit the fundraising website for a list of available sponsorship opportunities.
To donate or to learn more about how you can get involved, click here.
For more information on Crossfit No Surrender, visit their website.
