Archived Story
08-08-2006: news-update

LifeNets planning triathlon
By ZACHARY FRANZ/Bismarck Tribune

The LifeNets organization is sponsoring a triathlon in Mandan on Sept. 17.

They’re calling the event a “Sprint Triathlon,” but it’s pretty long for a sprint. The main competition consists of a 500-yard swim, 13-mile bike ride, and a three-mile run, starting and finishing at Mandan Community Center. There will be shorter races for the kids. Competitors can participate individually, or they can form teams with a couple buddies to divvy up the modes of travel. Each team must include at least one female.

LifeNets is a national charitable organization, formed in 1999. The Bismarck-Mandan chapter started two years ago. The group does a little bit of everything, which might be part of the reason they chose a triathlon as a fundraiser. This will be the second annual LifeNets triathlon. In the first, there were 54 participants and the group raised about $2,500. Of that, they donated $500 each to the cities of Mandan and Bismarck. The rest went to the national LifeNets organization.

“We’re hoping, of course, to give more this year, but it all depends on how many people participate,” said Sara Freije, a member of the local chapter of LifeNets.

LifeNets uses the money for various humanitarian purposes all over the world, from donating wheelchairs in Chicago to helping victims of the Chernobyl nuclear tragedy. They also offer scholarships in Guatamala, are helping to rebuild areas damaged in the 2004 Tsunami, and work to provide medical care in Africa.

“We’re trying to foster the idea that we can help, not just with money, but with physical help, too,” Freije said. “We don’t just send a check. What we really try to do is work with the community to find out exactly what the needs are.”

The group hopes the triathlon will not only raise money, but also help bring together the community and encourage physical fitness, Frieje said.

“It’s really a way for the whole family to get active in the community,” she said. “And it’s a way to make an impact not just for one day. People are preparing for this for months.”

LifeNets also plans a reception, to be held at the Seven Seas Inn in Mandan at 7 p.m. Sept. 16. National LifeNets co-founder Victor Kubik will be on hand to talk more about the origin and purpose of the organization, Freije said.

The registration fees for the triathlon are $40 for an individual adult, $20 for kids aged 7-14, and $75 for an adult team.

For more information or to register, call 667-3260.

(Reach reporter Zachary Franz at 250-8261 or zach.franz@bismarcktribune.com)