By KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer
WOODBRIDGE — Blackhearts CrossFit in Port Reading is gearing up for its fourth annual Barbells for Boobs event to raise money to help fund mammograms.
Last year, the gym was named New Jersey State Champs by Barbells for Boobs, a nonprofit organization based in Santa Ana, California, having raised the most money in New Jersey.
“Last year, we raised $13,000,” said Mark Nagy, owner of Blackhearts. “The previous year we raised $15,000.”
Nagy said they are attempting to earn that title again with a team goal of raising $12,000.
The event will be held at 10 a.m. on Nov. 5 at Blackhearts CrossFit, located at 900 Port Reading Ave., Building 5, in the Port Reading section of the township.
The event will include food, raffles and a partner workout called “Karen meets Grace,” which are two signature CrossFit workouts involving 30 clean and jerks [movements] with a barbell and 150 wall balls.
Kevin Cullen, of Howell and a member of Blackhearts CrossFit, said he participated in a Barbells for Boobs event held at another gym in Avon-by-the-Sea with Nagy and other members of the gym in 2012.
“That propelled us to hold an event at Blackhearts,” he said.
Cullen said although there are tremendous amounts of good research for breast cancer, Barbells for Boobs takes a unique, singular approach — raise money for mammograms to fight [cancer through] early detection.
“Last year, I raised $6,694, ranking me fifth out of those who fundraised for the organization worldwide,” he said.
This year, Cullen’s goal is to raise $8,000, which equates to providing 100 people with free screenings.
The Barbell for Boobs organization’s philosophy is “everyone has the right to know” if they are living with breast cancer.
“We aim to change the conversation on how breast cancer is perceived as being age and gender dependent because breast cancer doesn’t discriminate,” according to the organization’s website.
Through the support of the organization’s programs, they have provided solutions to over 20,000 individuals and counting in the form of access to procedures, navigation, connections and support.
For more information, visit the Blackhearts CrossFit fundraising page at https://fundraise.barbellsforboobs.org/team/93854.
For more information about Barbells for Boobs, visit www.barbellsforboobs.org.