Orangetheory Fitness Becomes The Largest Single Donor to ALS Research Through Fundraising Collaboration with Augie’s Quest to Cure ALS
Posted: June 26, 2019 in Chains
Orangetheory Fitness
BOCA RATON, FL – Thousands of Orangetheory members across the United States and Canada raised $4.5 million during ALS Awareness Month for Augie’s Quest to Cure ALS, an organization fast-tracking effective treatments and an ultimate cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This year’s record-breaking results bring Orangetheory’s total giving to more than $10 million over just three years, making it the most successful campaign in Augie’s Quest history.
Orangetheory’s $10 million donation has allowed Augie’s Quest to support innovative research being done by their non-profit biotech partner, the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI). The ALS TDI lab in Cambridge, MA is fit with Orangetheory’s signature orange to honor the company’s outstanding commitment to fast-tracking science to find effective treatments and cures for ALS throughout the three-year partnership. The funding has been critical in enabling ALS TDI to discover and develop cure-driven drugs, like the promising AT-1501 that successfully advanced to Phase 1 Human Clinical Trials in late 2018; supporting an innovative Precision Medicine Program that provides both ALS patients and scientists with invaluable, personalized information and complex learnings; and significantly driving more drugs into the development pipeline.
“Orangetheory’s commitment, generosity and passion to end this disease – one that attacks the very muscles Orangetheory works so hard to keep strong and healthy – is unrivaled, truly unmatched,” says Augie Nieto, co-founder of Augie’s Quest to Cure ALS and chair of the ALS Therapy Development Institute. “This successful campaign continues to be instrumental in advancing promising ALS treatments. Hands-down, Orangetheory and its nation of committed franchisees, studio members and communities will make it possible for us to #EndALS.”
“At Orangetheory, we’re passionate about helping people live a longer, more vibrant life, and that includes those living with ALS,” says Orangetheory President David Carney. “We want Orangetheory franchisees, staff and members to feel that they are doing things for those who can’t, and we’re thrilled that the entire Orangetheory community has chosen to embrace Augie’s Quest in such a meaningful, powerful way.”
This year’s campaign ran in more than 1,100 studios across the U.S. and Canada from May 1 to May 15. Orangetheory studios challenged their members and each other to donate at least $1 per splat point earned. A splat point is earned each minute a member spends in the Orange Zone or Red Zone. The Orange Zone is the member’s target training zone of 84% to 91% of their estimated maximum heart rate. In addition to its daily schedule of fitness classes, Orangetheory studios also hosted an Augie-thon, a specialty in-studio donation class, across all U.S. and Canada locations on May 11. This unique 90-minute class drew hundreds of members and non-members together, each making a $25 donation.
