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Oakbrook Terrace Tower hosts Fight for Air Climb
Lifestart Fitness Center's Katie Williams (gray shirt) helps get the "boot campers" ready to start their training for the American Lung Associations Flight for Air Climb. | Steve Johnston~for Sun-Times Media
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Online registration: Through Feb. 5 at http://www.lung.org/pledge-events/il/oakbrook-terrace-climb-fy13/
By phone: (312) 781-1100 after Feb. 5.
Donations: To the American Lung Association, Attn: Fight for Air Climb at Oakbrook Terrace Tower, 55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago IL 60601
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Updated: March 1, 2013 6:21AM
OAKBROOK TERRACE — The Oakbrook Terrace Tower will be filled Feb. 10 with people trying to help others.
The 31-story, 680-step office building is the site of a local Fight for Air Climb fundraising event for the American Lung Association.
“We’re expecting 1,000 participants this year,” said Erin Petschow, Special Events Manager for the American Lung Association in Greater Chicago. Petschow said the organization hopes to raise about $187,000. In 2012, about 800 participants raised $161,000.
The Oakbrook Terrace Tower hosted the first Illinois stair climb in the 1980s, the American Lung Association Tackle the Tower, Petschow said. That event went away for a few years, but returned in 1990 and has been an annual occurrence ever since.
Money raised is used to fund research to end lung disease, including lung cancer, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Sometimes called a “vertical road race,” teams and individual participants can use the event as a fitness target or as a race against others. Teams need to have at least five members to qualify for team awards, based on times, However, there is no minimum number of team members for teams planning to climb the stairs at the same time.
Cindy Go, a Hinsdale resident, participated in the Oakbrook Terrace Fight for Air Climb in 2012 and is returning for another try.
“I enjoyed it; it’s a lot of fun,” she said. “It’s very challenging, but anyone can do it. It’s a matter of how long it will take you.”
Go said she registered in 2012 because she was looking for an indoor winter event in which to participate.
“I’m athletic, so I looked at stair climbing,” she said. “One thing I’ll do differently this time is pace myself better.”
Go said along with enjoying the stair climbing, she also has a personal stake in the fundraising aspect.
“My mother-in-law has COPD,” she said. “People are happy to donate to this because they know it’s a very good cause.”
Go raised $650 in 2012 and is on target to nearly double that amount for 2013.
“I probably will end up at about $1,200,” she said.
