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A Meridian nonprofit's fundraiser challenge: Climb 110 floors for veterans, first responders

On Nov. 9, those looking for a physical challenge and a chance to support the nonprofit can scale 110 floors at Jack's Urban Meeting Place in downtown Boise.
Credit: Mission Ready Finances
Mission Ready Finances is a nonprofit that gives veterans, active service members and first responders financial training.

MERIDIAN, Idaho — Mission Ready Finances is a Meridian-based nonprofit that coaches veterans, active duty military members and first responders and their families on achieving financial success.

Next month, over Veteran's Day weekend, Mission Ready Finances will host a stair-climbing challenge fundraiser, to support that cause, the Idaho Press reports.

On Nov. 9, those looking for a physical challenge and a chance to support the nonprofit can scale 110 floors at Jack's Urban Meeting Place in downtown Boise.

Why 110? That's how many floors were in the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, which first responders climbed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. 

"The buildings signify the sacrifices made by our first responders, as well as our military service-members that have been engaged in combat operations for the 18-plus years since," said Marco Parzych, founder and executive director of Mission Ready Finance.

As part of the nonprofit's day-to-day work, Parzych, a Meridian resident, and several other veterans across the country speak with groups and give one-on-one advice on improving finances.

“Our philosophy is everyone can do better than they are today,” Parzych told the Meridian Press earlier this year. “A lot of times we just let the finances go. A lot time folks don’t realize (until it's) too late or the mistakes they’re making until their 40s or 50s, and by then it’s difficult to really set themselves up long term to meet their financial goals.”

Participants in the fundraiser will scale Jack's Urban Meeting Place's five-story staircase 22 times. Parzych has climbed that many stairs before, and it's "pretty intense," he said. 

That's why participants can choose to descend from the top of the staircase each time in an elevator, effectively cutting the workload in half. Or they can do half the challenge, climbing 55 floors. And they'll still be eligible for the competition's three prizes: a T-shirt, a sticker and a copy of Parzych's new book, "Mission Ready Finances: Proven Principles to Guide Your Story to Financial Freedom."

Those who can't make it to the event can participate, as long as they find a suitable staircase and can prove to Mission Ready Finance that they completed the 110-floor climb — a fitness mobile app that tracks distances would work, Parzych said. The challenge should be completed on one of two weekends, the weekend prior to National First Responders Appreciation Day (Oct. 26 to Oct. 27) or Veterans Day weekend (Nov. 9 to Nov. 10).

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