(Cartersville, Ga – For Immediate Release) – With the race sponsored by Aflac in Cartersville, Friday the 12 teams of Amazin’ Racers were greeted at the starting line sponsored by Stiles Jewelers by a roar of cheers from over 1,600 students and Team Kim supporters as they skydived from a plane circling above. By 5:30 p.m. Saturday, August 24 Wanda and Kevin Stephenson crossed the finish line first as the winners of the challenges. Kim and Brad Cowart’s daughter Madison Cowart and her team partner Drew McKaig were the fundraising challenge winners with their team raising over $24,000 at that point – and the total funds raised topped $102,000.
Filled with emotion Brad Cowart, Kim’s husband, told the hundreds of people who attended the finish line festivities sponsored by Industrial Construction Services and hosted at Pettit Creek Farms “In late May we learned of Kim’s kidney failure and lifesaving need for both kidney and pancreas transplants. My good friend Patrick Nelson, the owner of Georgia Fitness Academy, had long had the idea for Bartow’s Amazin’ Race. When we told people about Kim’s needs – within hours all 12 teams of racers had signed up, and we had our first $2,000 sponsor. The tremendous show of support from our friends, family and the community has been …amazing!”
Bartow’s Amazin’ Race consisted of 12 teams who competed to win two days of challenges on August 23 and 24 – and also competed to be the team that raised the most money to help the Cowart family with the high costs associated with organ transplants.
During the two days of challenges throughout Bartow, in addition to skydiving, some of the other challenges included a rigorous set of activities at the Fire Training Center, canoeing, finding and photographing specific cars amongst the 34 acres and 4,500 cars at Old Car City, and drinking a “special” concoction prepared for them at City Swirl.
“Two years ago I had the idea for Bartow’s Amazin’ Race, yet never did I envision that the idea would be put to such good use and for such a wonderful family. We are deeply touched and grateful by everyone’s generous show of support. We spun on a dime and pulled this off within two months. It took all of the 30 plus corporate sponsors, nearly 700 individual donors and close to 100 volunteers to execute this event and ultimately raise over $102,000 as collective members of Team Kim. We exceeded our ambitious fundraising goal and could not be more grateful and proud.” said event creator and chair, Patrick Nelson, owner of Georgia Fitness Academy in Cartersville.