After The Bash: Anytime Fitness Raises Funds For Safe Passage

Press release from Safe Passage Inc. Taneha Negangard (left), Batesville Anytime Fitness director of operations, and John Spence (center), owner of Anytime Fitness in Batesville and several other AF fitness centers in the area, present Jane Yorn, executive director of Safe Passage, Inc., a check from the Brees Dream Foundation. Anytime Fitness submitted the money raised from the Bash Before the Stash for the matching fund grant from the Dream Foundation. Photo provided. (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - Community leaders, businesses, Anytime Fitness members, Mudstash participants, and those supporting local efforts to curb domestic violence turned out in full force for the third annual Bash Before the Stash at the Lawrenceburg Event Center. Anytime Fitness hosts the special event with all proceeds going to Safe Passage Inc. Safe Passage is the domestic violence shelter based in Batesville that provides emergency shelter, intervention and prevention programming to Dearborn, Franklin, Ripley, Ohio, Switzerland and Jefferson counties. Attendance for this year’s June 2 Bash grew by 44 percent with some 375 people filling the large hall at the Event Center. WLWT broadcaster Sheree Paolello emceed the dinner and the live and silent auction. After a personal story presented from a Dearborn County domestic violence victim that drew a standing ovation, a seven item live auction was held. A highlight during the auction was when the Anytime Fitness founders Chuck Runyon and Dave Mortenson challenged the audience to raise $5000 for one of the big trips offered and they would match it by the same amount. The challenge was met by a Dearborn County businessman! The live and silent auction was followed by lively entertainment and requests from Chicago’s Felix and Fingers  dueling pianos. John Spence of Batesville, owner of several Anytime Fitness facilities, is on the board of Safe Passage, and spearheaded this successful fundraiser with support from his staff and business partner Michael Gelfgot. Spence commented that last year the foundation helped raise over $40,000 for the local shelter, and he believes the strong community and Anytime Fitness staff support will top that goal this year.  (Official dollar numbers weren’t in yet.) The Brees Dream Foundation offered a 25 percent match of funds raised to eligible nonprofits, and recently sent a check of $9596 for last year’s Bash event.  Jane Yorn, executive director of Safe Passage, was overwhelmed with the response from Anytime Fitness and the community. “Anytime Fitness puts on a first rate event, and the time and energy they donate to make it successful is just humbling. We at Safe Passage feel so very blessed to have such a caring partner in the community.”  The money raised from the Bash will go to prevention programming and support services for domestic violence victims. Since the nonprofit was established in 1997, Safe Passage has helped free 10,000 victims and their children from a lifestyle of domestic violence. No fees are charged for shelter or outreach services, and 50 percent of the funding comes from private donations and fundraisers. For more information on Safe Passage go to the website at www.safepassageinc.org.