Two town councillors will be duking it out for a great cause in 12 weeks.
Couns. Marni Fedeyko and Tara McFadden are among the growing list of women who have signed up for The Boxing Beauties charity event hosted by Rival Boxing on April 27.
Like many who compete in such events put on by the local boxing club, neither have stepped foot in a ring before.
With funds going to Big Hill Haven Women's Shelter for a future women's shelter, both councillors have weighed out the pros and cons of taking a glove to the mug and have concluded that some things are worth the fight.
"Success is going to look like getting a punch in the face and 700 people watching me do it," laughed McFadden, who began training this week and is tightening up her meal plan and opening up her already busy schedule to incorporate a training regime at Rival Boxing five days per week, one hour per day.
A single mom of two children, working two jobs as a town councillor and a mortgage broker, McFadden said her kids weren't surprised that she signed up. No stranger to committees, boardrooms or fundraisers, McFadden said this cause "spoke to her" and that she wanted to push her personal limits in the name of women empowerment.
"I've never boxed before. This is completely outside of my comfort zone – and that's what appealed to me."
Fedeyko, also a busy mom of three who works both as a town councillor and as a reporter for Cochrane Now, said she is looking forward to the physical challenge and to having a stress outlet through the physical training.
"It's about keeping me accountable ... it's going to force me to focus," said Fedeyko, who has climbed aboard several recent initiatives to fundraise for Big Hill Haven Women's Shelter.
"There's no way you can enter this without being committed to what you're doing," she said, adding that while she isn't looking forward to taking a smack in the chops, she is excited to exchange a lot of laughs along the way with McFadden.
Anne Garrido, owner/coach of Rival Boxing, said that she learned of the women's shelter fundraising and felt the cause was timely for the community.
The club is aiming for a full card with 12 to 14 bouts, totalling 20 to 28 women-only fighters – with only a handful from other clubs.
Tickets will be available through competing fighters and run $35 each. They will not be available online.
Stop by Rival Boxing to learn more.
