September 2011 – Minneapolis, Minn. – On August 20, several KOMA staffers donned their sweats and sneakers and headed to the gym. No, not for a group workout, but for the 14th annual Twin Cities Hoopathon, a local event to raise money to help support the fight against Huntington’s Disease.
KOMA design assistant Angie Rohlen organized the effort. “I became connected to this cause through the Viau family, who has hosted the event for the past 14 years. Before I met them, I was not aware of Huntington’s Disease. This is a degenerative, fatal brain disorder that devastates families for generations. And there is no cure, so shooting hoops is a fun and easy way to raise support and awareness for this disease.”
The Hoopathon Team Event consists of teams of five participants shooting free throws for three minutes. Teams begin with pool play before going head-to-head in single elimination until a champion is crowned. Team KOMA – Rohlen, Jon LeNoble, Steve Iaria, Dan Jaeger and Rob Iaria (Steve’s Brother) – had decent results on the day, advancing past the first rounds before being eliminated.
Overall, the Twin Cities Hoopathon was tremendously successful, raising over $50,000 for research.
Rohlen adds, “I was excited and grateful that my colleagues were willing to embrace an event that is so important to me. At KOMA, we support a wide variety of causes and fundraisers through our clients, families and friends. It is another way to build long-lasting relationships, while making a difference and raising awareness for diseases that affect the people we care about. We embrace teamwork and collaboration to produce results at work, and we follow the same philosophy at play.”
Visit www.hoopathon.com for additional photos and more information about the event. To learn more about Huntington’s Disease, visit www.HDSA.org.