Introducing the Strong in Every Way Community Challenge

July 2018

Writer // Janelle Morrison           Photography // Submitted

The Office of Special Projects for Zionsville Community Schools and other dedicated community volunteers have organized the inaugural “Strong in Every Way Community Challenge” to take place Saturday, July 28 on the Zionsville Community High School Campus. The SIEW Community Challenge is patterned after similar Corporate Challenge events but modified so that all community members can participate. Participants can be anyone over the age of 5, including families, children, adults and senior citizens.

Two of the event’s organizers, Lisa Brown and Lynn Kissel, work in the Office of Special Projects for ZCS in addition to other roles in the community. Each shared their thoughts on this upcoming event and what kinds of activities will be available for participants.

“It will be a casual event designed to bring the community together,” Kissel explained. “The event focuses on the SIEW domains: Building webs of support within the community, Promoting wellness, and Developing community pride. We know it’s a busy time of year. It’s also the last weekend before we start the ‘back-to-school’ routines, and families are getting geared up for the new school year, so we have organized the SIEW Community Challenge to be a half-day event, so that it’s not a huge time commitment.”

Brown added, “The SIEW Community Challenge is fashioned after the ‘Corporate Challenge’ format where teams will come together and compete in different events. We will have different divisions based on the size of the teams. So if we have a team of 100 vs. 5, they will compete against teams of similar size. Many events are planned for the day, including a DanceFit workout with Erin Johnson at the St. Vincent Stadium, a game of cricket as a demonstrated game, cornhole, kickball, volleyball, innertube relay and tug-of-war. This is not a fundraising event but a community event otherwise known as a ‘friend-raiser.’”

Both Brown and Kissel agreed that their organizing committee would like to see the SIEW Community Challenge become an annual end-of-summer event that promotes friendly competition and community building among participating individuals, businesses, organizations and families.

“People can register as a team or as individuals,” Kissel said. “Families and businesses can register as teams as well. There are a multitude of different teams that are set up. For example, we have a team for the Zionsville Lacrosse families, and each elementary school has a team, so the registration is set up for people to register with existing teams if they don’t want to organize their own team.”

Team registration fees of $20 will be waived for those teams that complete a service project and submit appropriate proof of completion. Individual and/or family registration fees will be charged $10 to cover the cost of T-shirts for participants.

There will be food trucks serving lunch and snacks, a Kids’ Zone provided by ZCamp and a Safety Zone provided by Zionsville Police and Fire Departments that will have games and activities for the kids if they need to take a break from the other activities. Participants can bring their own water and snacks as well.

To register yourself, family or team, visit programs.zionsvilleeaglerec.com/strong-in-every-way-community-challenge.cfm.

Brown and Kissel mentioned that additional volunteers are needed for the day of the SIEW Community Challenge. Those interested in volunteering can register at SignUpGenius.com/go/30E044EA4AC22A4FE3-strong.