Kristen Spagnoletti, Associate Broker with EXIT Realty DTC, Cherry Creek, Pikes Peak, in Englewood, CO organized the Big Ride for WillStrong Event during which cyclists rode across Colorado from September 8th to 11th, 2021 to raise money and bring awareness to the work of WillStrong Cancer Foundation.
“Will Maniatis, age 14, lost his life following a battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Will was a friend of my son, and his mother, Claudia, is one of my best friends,” said Kristen. “Before he passed, Will started this foundation to help ensure no other child would have to go through what he did. I want to honor his life.”
Kristen kept her word and worked tirelessly to create, plan, and run the Big Ride for WillStrong Event. The WillStrong Cancer Foundation will direct all funds raised at this event to the Children’s Hospital Colorado to help support their bio-bank which, in turn, provides researchers and clinicians access to various cell lines for study.
A portion of every transaction fee received by EXIT Realty Corp. International is applied to its charitable fund. Through the Spirit of EXIT Dollar-for-Dollar Matching Program, EXIT offices and associates can raise money for local, approved, registered charities and apply to EXIT’s head office to have those funds matched from the company’s pool of funds. Through ride donations and a fundraising dinner and silent auction, Kristen hoped to raise $20,000 which EXIT’s head office was proud to match, however they went far above and beyond and raised $80,328.38 for a total donation of $100,328.38 to WillStrong Cancer Foundation.
“When Kristen launched this initiative for WillStrong, she had hoped to raise enough to qualify for the very generous EXIT Realty match and we would have all considered this a very successful campaign. What unfolded, however, was truly miraculous as we had so many donors step up inspired by the EXIT Realty match and it was the fuel for what we now consider to be an astonishingly amazing fundraiser,” said Claudia Maniatis, Founder and Director of WillStrong Cancer Foundation. “We at WillStrong are so grateful for Kristen’s involvement and energy and for the power of EXIT standing behind her to bring more fundraising success to The Big Ride.”
