Detroit Lakes, Minn – (KWAD) The boots are coming out, the flannel is going on and the Lumberjack Triathletes are preparing to put themselves through another memorable race — all to help local students experience a week at Young Life camp.
The Lumberjack Triathletes are back for another Detroit Lakes Young Life Triathlon, happening Saturday August 15th. Once again, Brenin Richardson, Forrest Sauer, Brody Clark and Tommy Ailie are combining athletic competition, questionable race attire and plenty of laughs to raise money for a good cause.
Year after year, the group takes on the triathlon dressed as lumberjacks, complete with wool socks, work boots, flannel shirts and other accessories that aren’t exactly designed for peak athletic performance.
And as for their training?
According to the team: “Nope!”
But what they may lack in preparation, they make up for in enthusiasm for helping local students attend Young Life camp and experience what the organization calls the “best week of their lives.”
The fundraiser allows supporters to make the challenge progressively more difficult — and ridiculous — as the donation total climbs.
At $20, the lumberjacks add a right wool sock. At $40, they add the left. Work boots begin appearing at $100, and by $200, both boots have to be laced up.
From there, things get more interesting.
At $260, the athletes must stop during the running portion to hug a tree for 15 seconds. Additional tree hugs are unlocked at $280 and $340.
At $360, the flannel shirt comes out, with buttons gradually added as donations increase. When the fundraiser reaches $600, all five buttons are fastened — and enough money has been raised to send one student to camp.
The challenges continue throughout the triathlon.
At $660, the lumberjacks must sing “I’m a Lumberjack” during the canoe portion. At $680, one lumberjack has to stand up in the canoe for 15 seconds, while $740 means both lumberjacks have to stand.
Pants finally arrive at the $760 mark, followed by a zipper and belt.
Brody, Brenin, Tommy and Forrest will also have some individual responsibilities if donations continue to climb. Between $920 and $1,090, each will have to perform a 15-second lumberjack dance during the transition from swimming to biking.
At $1,120, the lumberjack hats go on, and at $1,210, suspenders are added. Reaching that point also means enough money has been raised to send two students to camp.
Then comes Babe the Blue Ox.
At $1,240, the team must carry Babe during the biking and running portions of the triathlon.
The lumberjack breakfast begins taking shape at $1,330, when the team brings a camp stove. Coffee follows at $1,360, flapjacks at $1,450, syrup at $1,480 and bacon at $1,570.
At $1,600, the team will drink only coffee for the duration of the triathlon.
Additional milestones allow the lumberjacks to bring a spatula, cook bacon and eventually bring an axe at $1,810 — a milestone representing enough money to send three students to camp.
By $2,040, the team will finally be allowed to eat the flapjacks they’ve been carrying and cooking. At $2,200, they’ll carry an axe for the entire triathlon.
At $2,240, a log joins the adventure, and at $2,360 the lumberjacks have to carry it throughout the running portion. Reaching $2,400 unlocks the “Lumberjack Lunge,” requiring 10 lunges with the log during the run.
More importantly, $2,400 represents enough money to send four students to Young Life camp.
Higher totals bring even more challenges. At $2,520, the lumberjacks must eat a snack using only their axes as utensils. At $2,560, they have to feed each other flapjacks, followed by helping each other drink coffee at $2,680 and feeding each other bacon at $2,720.
At $2,800, the “Pine Cone Pickup” is unlocked, requiring the lumberjacks to collect pine cones they encounter along the running route.
There is, however, one way to end their suffering.
If donors collectively raise $6,000, the Lumberjack Triathletes receive a complete buyout from the challenges.
More importantly, that $6,000 would provide enough money to send 10 local students to Young Life camp.
The unusual fundraiser has become a way for the Lumberjack Triathletes and their supporters to have some fun while helping remove the financial barrier that could otherwise keep students from attending camp.
Every donation moves the lumberjacks another step toward their next challenge — whether that means putting on a work boot, hugging a tree, carrying a log or attempting to eat breakfast with an axe.
And every dollar ultimately goes toward a much bigger goal: giving more local students the opportunity to go to camp.