Thunderbolts raise $s with burpees

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Devante Williams
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  A Combined Federal Campaign fundraiser took place Oct. 31 at the Luke Air Force Base Combat PT Center. Joint Strike Crossfit hosted the event and featured volunteers from across base as they completed as many burpees as possible in a seven-minute period. Pledges were $1 for each completed burpee performed during that period.

The event began with a warm-up lap around the chapel and multiple stretches before the competition. Staff Sgt. Clemente Fernandez, 56th Medical Support Squadron outpatient records NCO in charge, demonstrated a proper burpee.

"Your feet must be off the ground every time you jump," he said. "If your feet do not leave the ground, the rep doesn't count."

Volunteers teamed up in pairs and got to work. For the first three minutes into the competition, the participants were on a roll. Members from all over came by the PT Center and cheered for the competitors. One minute left to go into the challenge and the volunteers started to shut down. Sweat filled the floor and a lot of the volunteers were on the verge of calling it quits. But with the help of the spectators cheering them on, they were able to knock out the burpees.

After the event, the volunteers donated the money pledged to the CFC to be given to the Breast Cancer Aid and Research Institute for research.

"It was a great turnout especially for our first organized event," Fernandez said. "It was a last-minute, but overall, I think it went well."

One of the volunteers, Capt. Edmund Spivak, 56th Civil Engineer Explosives Ordnance Disposal Flight commander, said he enjoyed the event and congratulated Joint Strike Crossfit for finding a way to donate to the CFC.

"The burpees were painful," he said, "but overall it was for a good cause, and I'm glad people came out and supported the event to help raise breast cancer awareness."