United Way Elgin Middlesex Celebrates 25 Years of its Annual StairClimb – London | The Canadian News

Hundreds of people in the London, Ontario area are sweating for a cause Thursday as United Way Elgin Middlesex holds its biggest fundraising event of the year.

United Way is marking the 25th edition of the TD Bank StairClimb, which raises $ 200,000 annually for partner agencies funded by the charity.

The COVID-19 pandemic has prevented organizers from making their usual ascent up the stairs of the hundreds of steps at One London Place. Instead, more than 360 participants will take part in a series of virtual Step Up Sessions broadcast live from FitClub Bootcamps in South London.

The first session began at 8:30 am and the final class concluded at 5 pm on Thursday.

United Way President and CEO Kelly Ziegner participated in the first StairClimb and has since sat in the front row to watch it grow.

“I was a 23-year-old at the time, I walked up the stairs with a lot more energy, but a lot of fun things have happened to us over the years,” Ziegner said.

“At one point our friends from CAMI and Unifor Local 88 took and assembled a car part to the top of One London Place, we had Tepperman people carrying sofas up the stairs…. I believe that what maintains the longevity of this event is everyone’s commitment to their local community. “

That commitment has raised more than $ 2.8 million over StairClimb’s 25 years of operation.

Ziegner adds that every donation, regardless of size, makes an impact in London, Middlesex County and Elgin County.

“A smaller donation would provide snacks in the children’s programs, the capacity for counseling services would come from some of the other larger amounts of donations,” Ziegner said.

“Due to the pandemic, there is a greater need in our community, so every dollar counts and every step counts.”

The StairClimb comes to an end on Thursday afternoon, but there is still more than a week left to send donations.

StairClimb pledges will be accepted until November 12 and can be submitted online via the United Way website.

Donations can also be delivered in person at 409 King St. United Way on Fridays between 9 am and 12 pm.