Philadelphia community fundraises through exercise
MURPH Challenge and Load the Bar Foundation Strongman Competition fundraise for the local community through feats of strength and endurance.
PHILADELPHIA, Miss. (WCBI) – Many people spend Memorial Day just resting and relaxing.
But at MilDawg Strength and Conditioning, they are honoring the fallen and raising money for a good cause through the MURPH Challenge.
The MURPH Challenge includes a one-mile run, 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 squats, and another one-mile run.
All while wearing a 20-pound vest.
David Alexander, a MilDawg Strength and Conditioning co-owner, said this workout-of-the-day honors all service members who died in service.
“They created this hero WOD in honor of Lieutenant Michael Murphy,” Alexander said. “But also all of the service members, men and women, who have died in service to this country.”
MilDawg is giving this year’s funds raised to the Grady family, who lost twins Jamarion and Camarion Grady in April.
Alexander said that because they have been blessed that they want to give back to the community.
“We have been blessed,” Alexander said. “The Lord has blessed us in so many ways. So anything we can do to give back, we try to do.”
In conjunction with this event is the Load the Bar Foundation’s strongman competition.
A foundation that provides scholarships to female powerlifters.
It was created when Claire Myers, the founder’s daughter and a dedicated powerlifter, lost her life.
Carri Myers said distributing scholarships is a way to honor her daughter.
“Giving the scholarships out is such an honor because she was a helper,” Myers said. “She loved people, she loved to help people. And I think a good way to honor her is to give back to the community. Every year so many people come out and do the MURPH, and they do the strongman competition. And it just shows your tight knit communities, and people come out and love on you when it means the most.”
Joel McKee joined in the MURPH Challenge.
He said the exhaustion is more than worth it.
“It makes me feel really tired,” McKee said. “But it gives you a sense of purpose.”
McKee’s son even took part in a slightly toned-down kids version of the challenge.
McKee said he couldn’t be more proud of his son.
“I asked him last night would he be willing to do it,” Mckee said. “And he just said, ‘Yes, yes. I definitely want to do it.’ And so he loves this kind of stuff and it makes me proud. I definitely couldn’t have done it at his age.”
This is MilDawg Strength and Conditioning’s sixth year to host the MURPH Challenge.
The Load the Bar Foundation awards three to four scholarships per year.
