On May 22nd, the water-cooler-conversation at Graycor HQ was a whole lot more epic than usual. That’s because the day before, a 17-strong team of Graycor staff took on Tough Mudder together to raise money for their beneficiary, Organization for Autism Research (OAR). Without a strong team behind you in business you’ll never reach your full potential, and the same is true of any Tough Mudder event. Graycor embodied the ‘No Man Left Behind’ attitude that lives deep inside all Mudders, with every single member of the Graycor team conquering each of the 22 obstacles with grit, determination, and maybe the odd profanity. With this monumental effort, the Graycor team raised $12,928 for OAR, making them the top fundraising team of 2016.
We caught up with some of Graycor’s mudders to find out more about their fundraising journey, and how Tough Mudder pushed their levels of teamwork to the limit.
Why Tough Mudder?
We like a challenge. We understand the importance of teamwork within our business. Between our commitment to healthy lifestyles, our focus on a strong work life balance, and our investment in the future of our employees, this event demonstrated our commitment to the community.
Why OAR?
Led by parents and grandparents of children and adults on the autism spectrum, OAR is the only autism organization that sets out to use applied science to answer questions that parents, families, individuals with autism, teachers and caregivers confront daily. OAR’s RUN FOR AUTISM program has raised over $6 million since its inception in 2003. This is OAR’s first year participating in Tough Mudder and Graycor has paved the way for future teams and runners to help OAR reach their $1 million goal for 2016.
Why did you start your Community Fund Program?
Graycor understands that building the quality of our communities is more than just constructing a quality building. One of our core values is to promote family, community and wellness. What is a more perfect way to invest in ourselves and our community than getting electrocuted at a Tough Mudder! All levity aside, Graycor’s Community Fund Program is dedicated to supporting the charitable and civic activities of our associates by delivering financial and volunteer assistance to organizations that enhance lives within the communities where our associates live, work and build.
If your organization would benefit from improved teamwork and wants to raise money for a good cause, it’s time to get involved.