The family that plays together stays together.
Just ask Glenda Zamzow, matriarch of the Zamzow family. Glenda, along with her husband Richard and sons Marcus, 14, and Derek, 12, just put the finishing touches on a year’s worth of adventures with the completion of the Zamzow Challenge.
The initiative was just that: a challenge. Over the course of a year, the family tackled 10 challenges, all in an effort to raise $25,000 for Right To Play, an organization that brings the power of play to children facing adversity.
And with the challenges behind her, Glenda has had time to reflect.
“We can’t have the world we want to live in without being a part of it,” she remarked. “Doing something for others, it’s another element to round out your life.”
As of Jan. 14, the fundraising tally was just over $23,400. Online donations will remain open until the end of January in an effort to reach the $25,000 mark. The total will be matched three times over by outside partners, for a grand total of $100,000 for Right To Play.
The series of challenges kicked off in Cochrane Jan. 19, 2013, during Martin Parnell’s Hockey Quest 500. Not only did the Calgary family help Parnell achieve his quest, but the family crossed off their first challenge, which was to try something new — neither Glenda or Derek had played hockey before.
The challenges included a 12-hour solo cross-country ski race at the Canmore Ski Fest, the Run at the Ranch (held at the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park), Marcus completed the Banded Peak Challenge, and Glenda and Richard were aboard mountain bikes for 24 Hours of Adrenalin.
“It was a struggle,” said Glenda with a laugh. “That’ the reason they were challenges — we weren’t good at those things.”
Failure was an option, and was something Glenda said she had to come to grips with.
She added that while she was prepared to accept failure, she was surprised by how much she could achieve when she pushed herself.
“Even if I didn’t meet the goal, it was still my story,” she said. “It’s only when you scare yourself that you get a life-changing moment.”
The final leg of the Zamzow Challenge saw the family returning to Cochrane, where Richard, Glenda and Derek collectively ran a full marathon at Parnell’s Marathon Quest 250 Run/Walk. “When we started this, our slogan was ‘Ordinary Family – Extraordinary Challenge,’” she said. “It turns out, we’re not that ordinary anymore.”
For more information or to donate, visit zamzowchallenge.com.
