The concept of the Row-A-Thon is simple.
one rower with ten teammates rowing 26.2 miles for time. The first team to finish receives the bragging rights for supporting a great cause, and they will also win the prestigious Goat Trophy.
With a $45.00 registration you will receive an event T-Shirt and nine new friends (unless you’re registering a team then you’ll get to hang with nine old friends).
THE FAQs
4. How long will it take to row 42,195m?
However long it takes your team to finish. The ABC Hopes team will stay until the last team finishes. We do have an average time cap listed above.
5. How many meters must each team member row?
We leave those details to you and your teammates. Some folks prefer to divide the row up equally, while others just row what they can then switch. Feel free to discuss your limitations and expectations amongst yourselves.
6. Can I bring in outside food or drinks?
Of course, NOT! This is a community fundraiser and all proceeds earned from the food and refreshment sales will go directly towards ABC Hopes’ fundraising efforts for the deserving families/individuals. You may bring your water bottle.
1. What should I expect at the Row-A-Thon?
Teams of 10 will be rowing 42,195m (26.2 miles).
EVENT TIMELINE:
7:30 am - Check In
8:10 am - Check In Ends
8:15 am - Opening Ceremony
8:30 am - Rowing Starts
10:00 am - Food & Refreshments Will Be Available For Purchase
1:00pm Rowing Ends – TIME CAP (3 hr 30 min)
2. What are the rules for rowing?
Have fun! Remember, the ABC Hopes motto is everyone can participate so come on down and don’t stress about the rules, you’re rowing for a good cause and a good workout.
3. I’ve never been on a rower, do you have any tips?
Yes, we do! Checkout ABC Hopes’ video below.
Read About Previous Row-A-Thons
Row-A-Thon: placentia 2023 - february 18, 2023
Supporting: Jason vititoe’s cancer treatment and medical bills.
On August 22, 2022, we were given news that would change our lives forever.
Jason suffered from lack of motivation, headaches and what we now know of as “foot drop”. If you know Jason, you know he loves to work and what we assumed was stress was actually a tumor inhibiting his motivation and ability to balance work mentally. I thought August 22,2022 was the worst day we could possibly have but little did we know the future of this tumor would lead to more. The Neurology team recognized this aggressive tumor as Glioblastoma Multiforme and recommended a bulk resection.
All Jason could think about during that emergency visit was his kids, Parker (15), Paige (11) and Vivien (5). He was uncomfortable with the idea of undergoing a craniotomy without seeing his kids and having the privilege to tell them himself and in a way that wouldn’t scare them.
Once home it was time for second opinions…this is your brain you only get one, so we wanted the best possible outcome and that meant the best hospital and neurosurgeon. We were flooded with recommendations and one name specifically kept coming up, Dr. Linda Liau. She seemed untouchable at that time. It was a good two and half weeks before we finally got an appointment with her and a few very rough second opinions in between where I thought “oh no, this is the worst day”.
Jason’s tumor was large and crossed the midline which resulted in a very tricky surgery to not leave him with any permanent deficits. The first neurosurgeon we met for a second opinion thought we were crazy to even think of a resection. Dr. Liau disagreed and gave us the hope we needed. This tumor needed a bulk resection to give to Jason the best outcome.
September 13, 2022 was Jason’s craniotomy with bulk resection. A good 80% was removed, but there was a bumpy recovery road after resection.
Recovery was 10 days in the hospital followed by 17 days in an acute rehabilitation facility. Jason suffered from massive swelling and a brain hemorrhage (stroke on the brain) followed by a jugular thrombus, multiple fevers, and a few minor infections. All of these things slowed down his recovery and resulted in semi-permanent deficits. He was mentally impaired and could not sit up, walk, or stand. There were multiple “oh no, this is the worst day” following surgery, but we got through it.
Once home from the rehabilitation facility Jason thrived. He stayed positive and determined and before we knew it, he went from wheelchair to walker, to cane to nothing. Jason being home and around his kids was the best therapy for him mentally.
6 weeks of radiation along with chemotherapy started October 18th and ended November 29th. Jason kept strong during treatment and only suffered from fatigue and hair loss. In addition to radiation and chemotherapy, he uses a device called Optune that works by creating Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields), which are electric fields that disrupt cancer cell division.
Jason has remained positive and willing to do whatever it takes. There have been no complaints or “I don’t want to’s”. I am amazed everyday by him. I truly believe his days as a boxer keep him up for the challenge, his days as a cowboy keep his will, and his precise electrical skills keep him going to get his deficits rewired. He is every bit the boxing cowboy electrician that wipes the dirt kicked in his face with his glove and wrangles life with positivity.
Row-A-Thon: VISTA 2022 - November 12, 2022
Supporting: Dakota Sinnett’s leukemia treatment and medical bills.
Dakota is a sweet 5 year old girl with a recent diagnosis of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Like any typical 5 year old, she lives for family adventures like camping and hiking, going to the beach, playing soccer, and dolls. She also enjoys being a “mommy” to her dogs and chickens. She really loves her chickens! She lives for crafts and also likes to put a smile on her friend’s and family’s faces with silly notes. But right now, her chickens are at home without her.
Until the end of October, Dakota’s new home will be at Rady Children’s Hospital while she undergoes treatment. Mom, Claudia, loves CrossFit and was a crucial part of their community in Orange County before moving to Carlsbad. She now owns a mobile bartending business that she runs solo. She has closed her small business for the month while she stays with Dakota. Dad, Colin, is a San Diego firefighter. He has some leave saved up and is able to take the month off while helping with the family and staying with Dakota. But taking leave means he won’t be picking up any overtime, which for a fire family, can be devastating. Dakota is the youngest of 5 kids, 4 of which are still at home and one of which has autism. Life for the Sinnott family has been upended for the time being. The very least we can do as a community is to help take care of some of the costs of living while mom and dad are missing out on crucial income.
Row-A-Thon: CORONA 2022 - June 11, 2022
Supporting: Corona FIREFIGHTER’S ASSOCIATION LOCAL 3757, CORONA FIRE SAFETY FOUNDATION AND ABC HOPES, INC.
ABC Hopes was honored to partner with Corona Firefighter’s Association Local 3757 and the Corona Fire Safety Foundation for the first row in Corona two years!
A portion of the proceeds raised were given to the fire Association and fire Foundation community funds. These funds are used to support members in our community who are in need. Whether it be cancer patients, ill children, families losing their home, a firefighter losing their life and supporting their burial or family.
ABC Hopes embraces a uniquely similar mission of service, we thrive on giving back to others. Supporting efforts of the fire foundation and fire association to further their efforts of providing support to others in our community brings incredible joy to our organization and assists us in containing our mission of empowering those in need.
Row-A-Thon: pLACENTIA 2022 - February 19, 2022
Supporting: Sako Yakinian
Sako has been on a wild health ride since June. First through a battle against COVID and pneumonia. Then on September 3rd he woke up to tingling feet...
Within 3 weeks, he had lost full control of the lower half of his body with excruciating, 24/7 pain.
At first doctors were stumped and the family sat waiting, praying, and worrying. We didn’t know what was ailing him, and desperately wanted answers. But after multiple ER visits, a 27 day hospital stay, 10 MRI’s, 2 CAT scans, 3 Ultrasounds, 3 X-rays, 2 nerve studies, 36 different blood draws, 2 lumbar punctures with 9 vials of spinal fluid, and too many other medical procedures to mention, they finally made a working diagnosis.
Sako has a 1 in 1.6 million disease called Anti-MOG/MOGAD Disease. Sako's primary means of mobility now is a wheelchair.
We are uncertain of what lies ahead but confident that through God's will, Sako's attitude and love for his family, he will endure the challenges ahead. Sako has 2 beautiful girls under the age of 3 and a remarkable wife with fierce determination to help Sako walk again.
For updates about Sako’s journey follow @sako_nolimitpt or @lyakinian
Row-A-Thon: Corona 2019
Supporting: Fidel & Fox Family
On Saturday, June 1, 2019, ABC Hopes hosted their 7th Row-A-Thon at CrossFit Lifted-South in Corona, CA. The purpose of the Row-A-Thon was to raise funds for the benefit of two local deserving families, the Fox Family and Fidel Guiterrez. Along with this, our Hopers were given another opportunity to be involved in the community.
ROW-A-THON: Placentia, CA
Supporting: My Day Counts & The Mac Family
On February 23, 2019, one hundred and forty rowers set out to conquer the ABC Hopes Row-A-Thon, a journey of 42,165 meters on a stationary rower. In crews of ten, each team rowed for a worthy cause. Some rowed for the Mac Family, while others supported My Day Counts, but by the end of the day we were all there to support each other and raise awareness for individuals with developmental disabilities.
“The Row-A-Thon was created by ABC Hopes as a feel-good event. It was intended to get the community interacting with the Hopers while doing good for others,” said Katie Moore, Founder of ABC Hopes.
No Limit Personal Training was a gym packed with love and community. The good vibes filled the room and BAABANG filled our bellies with amazing grub at the event. The day ended with a cooldown at Stereo Brewing, with a focus on relaxation and rehydration.
Together we raised $6,924 that will be used to help sponsor No Limit Personal Training’s newest athletes from My Day Counts and assist the Mac family with paying for medical expense for their son, Kaden.
Row-A-Thon: Vista, CA
Supporting The Benzon and Skelton Family
On August 25th, ABC Hopes hosted their first semi-annual Row-a-Thon in the Vista community, which hosted over 200 guests. The gym was filled with families and supporters from all around San Diego to participate in the 26.2 mile Row-A-Thon to benefit two local families: The Benzon family and the Skelton family.
In attendance were five firefighter teams from four different station, the Reins Organization, CrossFit Trifecta, CrossFit Iconic, and Gracie Jujitsu members, among many other notable participants.
All in attendance can agree that you could feel the love and good vibes during the event. Together we rowed a total of 632,430 meters and raised over $3,000 for our families.
Team Escondido Firefighters won the Row-A-Thon with a record time of 2:23.02. Along with bragging rights for supporting their community, they also won the prestigious G.O.A.T. trophy and gift cards. Fifteen teams in total registered for the event.
We would like to thank our snack sponsors who fueled our morning. A big thanks to Alove yogurt, Progenex, Bambucha Kombucha, and Cliff Bars for providing our fabulous athletes with sustenance needed for rowing a marathon.
“This is one of my favorite events ABC Hopes hosts, hands down. We love seeing the community come together to support each other, and the Vista community stepped up,” said Founder, Katie Moore. The support and good times continued after the event with an outstanding turnout at Booze Brothers, who partnered with ABC Hopes for the event. Booze Brothers also donated a portion of their proceeds to our families.
It was so special to watch the ABC Hopes mission of lending a helping hand in full effect. Thank you to everyone who came out for the ABC Hopes Semi-Annual Row-a-Thon to support and build awareness for two local families.
Row-A-Thon: CORONA
Supporting: Destroy Duchenn
Corona, CA- Thank you to everyone who came out for the ABC Hopes 3rd Annual Corona Row-a-Thon to support and build awareness for Destroy Duchenne. We are proud to announce that together we raised $3,000 for Destroy Duchenne and rowed a combined 623,475 meters. We raised these funds as a community through registration sign-ups and charitable donations.
All attendees present can agree that there is no better way to spend a morning than supporting a great cause, especially our new Row-A-Thon Champions, CrossFit 714, who finished in First Place. Other notable teams in attendances were the Corona Fire and Police Department and CNUSD.
We would also like to thank our volunteers, vendors, and sponsors for showing up and donating their time and resources to helping us make the 2018 Corona Row-A-Thon a success.
Row-A-Thon: CORONA
Supporting: The Heidlman Family & Jessica
Row-A-Thon: CORONA
Supporting Debbie & Jose
On April 29, ABC HOPES hosted the 2nd Annual Row-A-Thon which welcomed more than 200 attendees to CrosssFit Proper in Corona.
The brightly colored and boxed-shaped gym bulged with families and supporters from all around Southern California to participate in the 26.2 mile Row-A-Thon to benefit two local families. The concept was simple, one rower with ten teammates. Team Roasters won the Row-a-Thon in a time of 2 hours and 47 minutes. Along with bragging rights for supporting a great cause, they also won the prestigious GOAT trophy and gift cards. Eleven teams in total registered for the event.
“This is an incredible event. The comradery and teamwork is so cool,” remarked supporter Joelyn Sellers.
The Ninja Warriors, from the infamous show, set up a course for attendees to try out their skills. BAABANG and Restoration Roasters provided refreshments and vittles. Croozerboards donated a rad handmade skateboard for a silent auction, and Wicks Brewing Co. donated prizes for our raffle.
“The turnout was great! It was really amazing to see all walks of life coming together for a great cause. It was really a beautiful thing to see so many supporters,” said vendor owner Pedro Flores of BAABANG.
“We are thrilled with how the event turned out. The enthusiasm and excitement was contagious,” said founder Katie Moore. She went on to share a tear jerking moment during the event, “One group that was rowing wanted Debbie, who is battling pancreatic cancer, to row the last leg. Debbie was honored to do so but she was not comfortable pulling the rower. So we placed Debbie on the seat and many of the events participants, as well as ABC Hopes participants crowded around and we all helped her row the last leg of the 42,000 meters. It was so special to watch our mission of helping others in full effect.”
