SMA AWARENESS WOD 2011, AUGUST 13TH!

"Bugaboo" For time:
200 Thrusters (75/45)

Please join us as we do this special WOD on August 13, 2011 in memoriam of Benjamin "Bugaboo" Abruzzo III to raise awareness and donations for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). "Bugaboo" lived for just 200 days before he lost his battle with SMA on December 29th, 2005.

So many other children and families are affected yet knowledge and awareness is very low.

Please read the words in the post below from "Bugaboo"s father who has lost 2 children to this terrible disease. Also take a look at previous posts below from our efforts with this cause last year and the list of CrossFit affiliates who helped out last year. We hope to grow this event each year with your help.

I believe everything happens for a reason and I believe that the CrossFit community has the power to spread the word and raise some donations to fight SMA.

The first step in fighting for any cause is raising awareness by spreading the word. This year we are asking that each participating affiliate raise $200, one dollar for each day that "Bugaboo" was alive. All donations made online will come with a receipt and will be tax deductible. If you are interested, please find a participating affiliate near you, or find an affiliate near you and ask them to participate!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE FSMA DONATION/REGISTRATION SITE PLEASE!

If you can't make it to a participating CrossFit affiliate, all we ask of you, is wherever you are on or around August 13th, do this WOD and PLEASE COME BACK TO THIS SITE AND POST YOUR TIME, LOADS AND THOUGHTS TO COMMENTS so we can see who all we reached, then go to the donation site and give what you can. Tell everyone you can why you are doing "Bugaboo" and send the link to this site to everyone you can.

3-2-1-GO!

Here is a list of CrossFit affiliates planning to participate in this worthy cause, please join them if you can (standard membership/drop-in fees, etc as applicable at your affiliate). Please contact me at shane@crossfitalbuquerque.com with your website address if your affiliate would like to participate and would like to be added to the list:

Bayou City CrossFit, Houston, TX
Black Box Fitness, Albuquerque, NM
Crossfit 3D, Trafford Park, Manchester, UK
CrossFit Albuquerque, Albuquerque, NM
CrossFit Crave, Celina, OH
CrossFit Rio Rancho, Rio Rancho, NM
CrossFit TNT, Saint Charles, MO
CrossFit Wilco, Austin, TX
Project Fitness CrossFit, Garden City, KS
Tallahassee CrossFit, Tallahassee, FL

"Bug and Addi": Reflections from a father by Ben Abruzzo

Please read these words from my best friend and Co-Owner of CrossFit Albuquerque, Ben, whose life and family has been forever changed by Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA):

"CrossFit is full of stories about people whose lives were changed through fitness, health and community. Every one of us has a story about how CrossFit and those that are a part of it have impacted us and our families. What if you had never gotten the chance to do Fran? What if you had never even gotten the chance to walk? What if the simple act of breathing would one day be the hardest thing you ever did? And what if that all happened before you were two years old? This is the reality in way too many babies and children across the world. Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is the number 1 genetic killer of children under two, and yet most who read this will have never even heard of it. Children born with SMA will fight every day to control their own bodies and will eventually lose the ability to move, eat or breathe.

My son, Benjamin, was born on June 12, 2005 and left this world on December 29, 2005. He lived for just 200 days. He was an amazing person and an example to us all. He woke every day with a smile on his face and the courage to make the most out of what life had given him. Everyone who was around him was blown away by his inner strength and ability to light up any room he was in. Even as the days became more difficult, he never complained, never cried and never quit smiling. I can remember what an amazing feat it was the first and only time that he was able to reach out and touch something that was in front of him. He loved to watch Aladdin and he loved his Momma. Bug lived a simple life, but he was happy and he never let SMA get the best of him He was and is our amazing son, our little "Bugaboo."

My daughter, Addisyn, was born on February 23, 2007 and she left us on April 18, 2008. She too had SMA, but she was quite different. She was a rock star and a fighter to the end. She loved life and all that it had to offer. At first, we thought she was SMA free because she moved so much and was so full of energy. The truth is, SMA had her, but she would not go without a fight. Addi fought every step of the way, she moved her arms, she ate real food, and she kept her spirit up until the very end. She loved her books and she too loved her Mom more than anything in the world, but most of all she loved being alive. We miss her so much every day.

I do not seek pity, and neither would they. I am writing this because the first step to fighting this disease is to get the word out that there is a killer out there that most don't even know about. So when you are standing in a pool of sweat and someone asks you what you are doing, tell them. Tell them about my little Bug, tell them about Addi, tell them about SMA and tell them to spread the word. 3-2-1...Go!"

-Written by Benjamin Abruzzo Jr.

What an Amazing Sucess! THANK YOU ALL!

First, please let me extend a huge, sincere and heart felt thanks to every single person who took part in our "Bugaboo" SMA Fundraiser in any way.  We simply cannot say enough about this community and how thankful we are for you all stepping up and giving in such an amazing way.

Second, as of right now our event has raised over $12,000 and counting.  This is truly awesome.  We had no idea what to expect and this has just blown us away.  Please know that your efforts are making a difference in moving towards a cure for SMA.  These donations raised will have a huge impact in helping find a cure.  Thank you so much to everyone who donated.  We will post the final final total when we have it, hopefully within the next week or so.

And last, pictures, videos and a more detailed closing post for this years effort is in the works and forth coming.

If you have any pictures or videos of your "Bugaboo" event, please send them to us so we can integrate them.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!  More to come!

Here's a great video from CrossFit Hercules...thank you so much...

SMA Awareness WOD, August 28th, 2010

"Bugaboo"
For time:
200 Thrusters (75/45)

Please join us as we do this special WOD on August 28th in memoriam of Benjamin "Bugaboo" Abruzzo III to raise awareness and donations for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). "Bugaboo" lived for just 200 days before he lost his battle with SMA on December 29th, 2005.

So many other children and families are affected yet knowledge and awareness is very low.

Please read the words in the post below from "Bugaboo"s father who has lost 2 children to this terrible disease. Also take a look at previous posts below from our efforts with this cause last year and the list of CrossFit affiliates who helped out last year. We hope to grow this event each year with your help.

I believe everything happens for a reason and I believe that the CrossFit community has the power to spread the word and raise some donations to fight SMA.

The first step in fighting for any cause is raising awareness by spreading the word. This year we are asking that each participating affiliate raise $200, one dollar for each day that "Bugaboo" was alive. All donations made online will come with a receipt and will be tax deductible. If you are interested, please find a participating affiliate near you, or find an affiliate near you and ask them to participate!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE FSMA DONATION SITE PLEASE!

If you can't make it to a participating CrossFit affiliate, all we ask of you, is wherever you are on or around August 28th, do this WOD and PLEASE COME BACK TO THIS SITE AND POST YOUR TIME, LOADS AND THOUGHTS TO COMMENTS so we can see who all we reached, then go to the donation site and give what you can. Tell everyone you can why you are doing "Bugaboo" and send the link to this site to everyone you can.

3-2-1-GO!

Here is a list of CrossFit affiliates planning to participate in this worthy cause, please join them if you can (standard membership/drop-in fees, etc as applicable as your affiliate). Please contact me at shane@crossfitalbuquerque.com with your website address if your affiliate would like to participate and would like to be added to the list:

Bayou City CrossFit, Houston, TX
CrossFit Albuquerque, Albuquerque, NM
CrossFit 1525, Houston, TX
CrossFit Kirkwood, Kirkwood, MO
Tallahassee CrossFit, Tallahassee, FL
CrossFit San Mateo, San Mateo, CA
CrossFit Champions, Tomball, TX

SMA Awareness WOD 2010 will be on August 28th!


Of course, you can do the WOD and day/time you like, we have just settled on Aug 28th as the official day.

The WOD will not change, 200 Thrusters for time!

Stand by for more details!  Please keep checking the site!

August is SMA Awareness Month!


We are about 4 months from SMA Awareness Month.  Due to the overwelming support that we received from our first awareness WOD in December of 2009 we have decided to do it again this year with some strategic changes.

Our target month this year, and hopefully every year there after, will be August.  We are hoping this will bring better weather and less holiday and vacation conflicts.

Now that we have moved to Albuquerque, NM, this will be our new home base for operations.  In no way will this change or effect who and where we want people participating.  We want to take this world wide!  We hope that everyone who participated last year will join us again every year.

This year we also intend to take more of a fundraiser approach.  Any and all donations will be voluntary and will not be mandatory to participate in anyway.  We hope to work closely with the New Mexico chapter of Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy to make it official, tax deductible, etc.

We also may adjust the WOD some to make it a little less...crippling.

More information to come as it unfolds.  If you have any thoughts or ideas, please post them up!  Or just give us a shout letting us know that you are looking forward to participating!  When you post please include the best e-mail address to reach you at.

Thanks!  Hope to talk with everyone soon!

THANK YOU!


My buddy Mark Cournoyer giving "Bugaboo" his best

I know this post is long over due. Been crazy busy lately. I sent this out by e-mail as well, but I know I have missed some people as many of you I don't have contact info for, but I wanted to be sure to send a thank you out to each and every person that participated in the "Bugaboo" SMA Awareness WOD this year. It means a great deal to us and really shows how tight the CrossFit community is. We do plan to do this again next year with a few strategic changes. We are looking at a different date so it doesn't interfere with the holidays as much. And we are also considering a different or alternate workout as this one required a GREAT deal of scaling based on the feedback I received...as well as some pretty severe DOMS. For those of you who are interested, I did the WOD twice on Dec 29th, just to be sure I did my fair share. Thanks again very much to everyone who participated. If you have any more pictures or videos that you can to share of your SMA WOD experience please send them over and/or post them at sicfit.com. Thanks!

If you are interested in taking part of this in 2010 please send your contact info or the contact info of anyone you think may be interested to sgibson2001@gmail.com.

-Shane Gibson
http://www.gibsongaragegym.blogspot.com/