October 8, 2003
Fund-raiser big lift for agency
Bench press competition raises money for area Big Brothers Big Sisters
Carol South
Special to the Herald
Pitting mind and muscle over matter, heavy matter, dozens of power lifters strove for their personal best Saturday at the 2003 Lift for Kids. Grunting and straining, the lifters bench-pressed three times each, often straight-arming far more than their own body weight.
Held at the Grand Traverse Mall, the event pitted the lifters against themselves and each other as they raised money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Michigan. As of Monday, $6,000 and counting has been raised to help the organization that serves more than 600 youth in nine counties. With more than 120 young people on a waiting list for a big brother or big sister, the event will help finance these relationships.
"This is one of three fund-raisers every year," said Shawn Telon, agency coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Michigan. "This is the sixth year and we've got a core group of gyms and lifters who like to do it and they are the ones who keep it going."
Vern Gauthier, owner of Fit for You gym, and his brother Jeff founded the Lift for Kids event in 1997. They wanted to both inspire the lifters they were training by providing a local competitive event and to help area kids. While they set up the fund-raiser to accept straight donations, they also encourage lifters to gather pledges per pound pressed. Each participant completes three lifts for the competition, gaining money for each pound successfully lifted.
"We're just raising money for the kids," noted Vern Gauthier, who spotted lifters during the competition. "Because people pledge per pound, the lifters want to lift as much as possible."
"The first one they are sure they can get, the second one they are pretty sure and the third one they go for a win," said Gauthier of power lifting strategies for the day.
Debbi Gray of Canadian Lakes has been a body builder and power lifter for five years. She competes in natural body building events and Lift for Kids 2003 was her first power lifting competition. A lifelong athlete, Gray said her training has put on 40 pounds of muscle as well as boosting her self esteem.
"It's really given me a lot of self-confidence, it's changed my whole life," Gray said.
Despite the extensive physical preparation and training required, the sport is also a mental one.
"Lifting is psychological, you have to talk yourself into it, you have to try," she noted.
Doug Hussett of Cadillac said lifting in his first competition was all about mental preparation, keeping his mind in line. Lifting a personal best of 440 pounds Saturday in the men's 20-50 category, he trains four or five days a week.
"I participated in this for the charity," Hussett said. "For my first competition with the bench press, I thought it was pretty relaxed."
Ralph Soffredine, the retired Traverse City Police Chief, was the event's honorary chairman. A power lifter himself, a sport he took up only two years ago, Soffredine attempted a world's record bench press of 450 pounds in the category of men over 50.
While he did not meet his goal Saturday afternoon, Soffredine is no stranger to power lifting competitions - and to wins. Thanks to an unexpected third place finish at a national competition, he will compete in a world competition in April.
"It is fun to have a local one, the national and international competitions are real stressful, intense," said Soffredine, who is training five days a week to prepare for the world competition. "This one is for fun."