Posted for Nancy Yearout
RE/MAX Properties of the Summit
For a decade, Summit County has hosted the Tubbs
Romp to Stomp Out Breast Cancer annual snowshoeing 3k and 5k races dedicated to
raising money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a national breast cancer research
organization.
The event has raised around $860,000 since its inception and this year the aim is to add another $125,000 to top the $1 million mark for money raised in Summit by the Romp.
The event has raised around $860,000 since its inception and this year the aim is to add another $125,000 to top the $1 million mark for money raised in Summit by the Romp.
Make it a weekend
The Romp to Stomp
will take place March 2 at the Frisco Adventure Park. Summit County resident Joan Davids has been involved in the event every year, the first as a volunteer and participant and the other nine as chairperson of the event. Davids hopes to not only encourage participants to enjoy the snowshoeing, but to convince them of the value of coming earlier and staying longer.
“The whole idea is to get people up here in the county for the whole weekend. Make it into a weekend,” Davids suggested. “We don't want that excitement to just drop. … Now we're saying it's just a full weekend. It can drop on Monday,” she added with a laugh.
Romp to Stomp is doing several things to encourage participants to stick around. First, organizers are continuing the tradition of the night-before Pink Party, which features a goodie bag, coupons for drinks, trunk shows by local retailers and plenty of good food, as well as a chance to mingle with other participants.
The big new thing this year, which Davids hopes will really encourage visitors to extend their time, is the Romp to Stomp app. Developed by Silverthorne-based company YodaCom, the app has a myriad of features designed to help visitors enjoy, explore and discover Summit County. It will display a schedule of all Romp to Stomp events and times, give up-to-date road conditions, allow users to take photos and send them to friends or Facebook, find deals and directions to Summit County businesses and even help them find where they parked their car. It's also free.
Jeremy Black developed the app free-of-charge for Romp to Stomp. He's participated in the Romp many times, he said, and his sister is a breast cancer survivor.
“I'm thinking, there's gotta be an app for that,” Black said. And now there is.
The other new development will take place March 3, the day after the Romp. Participants who show their Romp to Stomp bib at Loveland will get an $11 discount on a ski pass for the day. Additionally, for every discounted Romp to Stomp ticket, Loveland will donate $10 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
“I think it's a cool win-win for everyone,” Davids said.
Romp to Stomp caps the number of participants at 2,300, so registration is first come, first served. Davids encourages people register, whether it's their first or 11th time.
“Of course all of us know somebody who's been through breast cancer, unfortunately, so many people come to the event to celebrate that the person actually has survived this miserable disease, or in memory of someone who unfortunately didn't make it through,” Davids said, who is a breast cancer survivor herself. “Therefore, the importance of the fundraising comes in, in my mind, because Komen's mission is to really eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease.”
“Have fun,” she added, “Enjoy the beauty out there on the Frisco Adventure Park and do it for an important cause.”
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Susan G.
Komen for the Cure, often referred to simply as Komen, is one of the largest and
best-funded organizations in support of breast cancer research in the country.
Founded in 1982, Komen came about after Nancy G. Brinker promised her sister,
Susan G. Komen, who was succumbing to breast cancer, that she would do whatever
she could to work toward eradicating the disease. Since then, the organization
has grown across the nation and now has international connections and a global
impact.The Romp to Stomp is one of many programs that helps raise money for Komen. In addition to Colorado, it also takes place in New Jersey, Vermont, Minnesota, Utah, Washington and Oregon, as well as two locations in Canada. According to Davids, the Colorado event usually raises the most money. Last year it reached $114,000. The year before that was its record high at $149,000. This means that the goal of $125,000 is certainly achievable, Davids said.
“Every dollar helps,” she added.
Courtesy of the Summit Daily News
