News: APEX Gymnastics Raises $26K+ for Western Loudoun Relay for Life

(June 7, 2011) - The APEX Gymnastics teams and families came together on a sunny Saturday to participate in the Western Loudoun Relay for Life at Heritage High School in Leesburg. APEX raised $26,600 for the event by doing various fundraisers such as giving away an iPad, holding open gyms and soliciting donations from family and friends.

APEX was recognized for having the largest team contingent of over 150 team members and the largest single fundraiser in APEX owner, Marty Newsom. Nicholas Wilkins, brother of an APEX gymnast, spoke about having leukemia openly and hopefully at the pre-Luminaria ceremony. He received a standing ovation!



APEX owners Melanie Cuozzo and Newsom stated: “This event is a wonderful opportunity for us to give back to our community and to show everyone what APEX is all about! We are so grateful to have families in our program who value experiences like these for their children just as much (or maybe more!) than a single gymnastics competition.“

They added: "This event touches all of us in some way, and some of us more than others… and it is important to us that we can all stand together for one day and show our children that there are things in life that are simply bigger than our little chalky world at APEX.”

The event was the culmination of months of activity preparing a campsite and raising funds. The event began at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning and lasted 24 hours. Team members camped out overnight to symbolize the cycle that a cancer patient lives through. They experience dark times and moments of sunshine and hope. There were over 60 teams participating this year.

APEX plans to return to Relay next year bigger and better than ever!