For Immediate Release
Lititz, PA November 18, 2024 – HARTZ Physical Therapy presented a check for $17,500 last week to Gigi’s Playhouse Lancaster, a nonprofit Downs Syndrome Achievement Center. For the second year, Gigi’s earned 100% of the money from HARTZ PT’s Annual Fall Blast 5K Run, Walk, and Kids Color Run for a total of $37,500. This year’s race was held October 5th at John R. Bonfield Elementary School in Lititz, PA with 300 runners along with 40 children who participated in our Color Run. Devan Soto from Red Lion, PA came in First Place with a time of 16:15.3.
“We are grateful to Hartz Physical Therapy for choosing GiGi’s Playhouse Lancaster as their charitable partner for the Hartz Fall Blast 5K for the second year in a row! We enjoy participating in the Fall Blast each year, running the 5K, doing the Kids Color Run, and meeting new supporters in our community,” said Alisha Fitzwater, Programs Coordinator and Board Member of Gigi’s. She continued, “Last year, we were able to use the funds from the Fall Blast 5K to put towards our ‘Believe in Our Build Campaign’ to create and furnish our new GiGiFIT Fitness Room in our new Playhouse! This year, we will be using the funds to run weekly purposeful GiGiFIT fitness and nutrition programming for participants with Down syndrome ages 6 months through adults! Thank you Hartz PT for living out our mission of Generation G and Being Accepting, Being Generous, and Being Kind!”
Wendy Enck, Fall Blast Race Director said, “After 2 years of rain, we finally had a beautiful day for our event. We had so much fun raising money for this amazing charity with over 300 people of all ages. Year after year, this is one of my favorite days. The staff and I at HARTZ Physical Therapy are so fortunate to be able to give back to the people in our community and we all love this annual event.”
“Witnessing the growth and transformation that these organizations achieve with needed funding and community support is amazing,” said Brian Hartz, Owner of HARTZ Physical Therapy. In the 2 years we have been working with Gigi’s, they have been able to move into a new space, more than doubling their footprint and adding so many needed programs for these kids and young adults with Down Syndrome. The energy and passion of those working to fulfill their mission every day is truly inspiring. We owe a big thanks to the generous support of numerous local businesses who join us as sponsors such as Apex Realty, Wolf Kline, Roseville Wealth Management, Assured Partners, Penn State Health, Planet Fitness, Adair’s Flooring, Now I Can PT, and more,” he continued.
Through the HARTZ PT Charitable Organization founded in 2020, HARTZ PT spends an average of 50 volunteer hours and contributes more than $1,000 per employee in support of local charities each year. To date the company has raised over $330,000 by planning various charitable events, including an April food drive to benefit Power Packs Project called Feed the Need and their annual Spring Swing golf tournament. Bench Mark Program, Off the Streets Lancaster, A Week Away, Aaron’s Acres, Lancaster Science Factory and Hospice of Lancaster are a few of the local charities who have benefitted from HARTZ PT’s charitable programs.
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