5 years of #OBWFightsForHope
Operation Broken Wing 2019 marks the 5th edition of OBW that Innervate Fitness has organised. Growing out of a simple desire to give back to society and help empower the forgotten youths to be the best that they can be, we have managed to impact the lives of over 750 youths to date. As a social enterprise and not just a CrossFit box, the motto we advocate is “Fitness For A Cause, Fitness For All, and Family Fitness”. OBW is an event that lends itself naturally to achieving all three goals.
Fitness For A Cause
Fitness is something people usually associate with doing for themselves – to get a better body, for personal health – but did you know fitness can be used for others too? At OBW, fitness is the platform by which we use to empower the lives of the forgotten youths across the region. Participants fight it out in a gruelling 15-minute long workout called “Fight For Hope” where every repetition of the movements done translates to monetary donations from sponsors. It’s about going beyond oneself to bring hope to another, taking action for what we believe in, and using what we have to make a difference.
Fitness For All
At Innervate Fitness, we make it a point to be inclusive and this translates to the OBW community too. At the previous OBW in 2017, we had our Innervate Adaptives, persons with disabilities, Fighting For Hope alongside us for the first time and OBW 2019 was no different. Truly embodying the spirit of everyone having the Power To Empower, it’s about focusing on what one can do then using it for good. Their strength and determination show us that when it comes to fitness, the heart truly is the strongest muscle
On the other hand, our Silvers were not to be outdone. They showed up in full force to push out every rep in support of the younger generation with a few of them going out of their comfort zone to participate in OBW for the first time. In addition, six of the seniors from House of Joy, where Innervate has been conducting regular CrossFit classes, took part as athletes and fought for hope alongside kids, fitness enthusiasts, and the like. They left a deep impression on many onlookers, breaking stereotypes and showing that there is no age limit to doing good.
Family Fitness
We believe in the power of community and it is always heartwarming to see family, whether blood-related or not, supporting each other. This year, we introduced a new Team category which saw father-son, mother-daughter, best friend, and couple teams Fight For Hope together on the floor. The atmosphere of encouragement and empowerment is like no other and it’s always so amazing to see how a group of diverse people can be united by a common cause to form such a special community.
Now that we know what OBW is about, the question is how did such a massive event come to life? Innervate Fitness is not only the main organiser for OBW, but also home to a dedicated team of volunteers who have spent months making this all possible. Be it planning, admin, publicity, executing, you name it – the team has put in many hours to ensure the smooth running of the event and we are extremely grateful for all their hard work and gracious contributions in helping us make something so close to our hearts a reality. To the youths from Singapore Children’s Society and other volunteers who came down to help out on event day itself, we appreciate your help too! Indeed it takes a community effort to make a difference, and the power of the #InnervateFamily is definitely not one to be trifled with.
Thanks to the planning team and to all the people who supported this movement, OBW 2019 was a huge success! With over 500 athletes, we have managed to raise $103,000 and counting for Singapore Children’s Society. This is definitely a great leap from our humble beginnings in 2014 with only 50 athletes taking part at the box. 5 years is not a short or easy time and we will always be grateful to all who have supported our movement and in turn helped grow it into what it is today.
With the close of this chapter, we can’t help but be excited for the next!
