FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 13, 2011
‘Athletes Serving Athletes’ Helps Challenged Youth Cross the Finish Line
BALTIMORE – On Sunday, May 22 2011, James Banks will participate in the 2011 Columbia Triathlon, aiming to complete his first Olympic distance triathlon. To date, Banks has completed three full marathons, two Sprint triathlons and more than a half dozen 5K races. For any person this is a substantial accomplishment, but James Banks is not just any person. Banks, a student athlete from the William S. Baer School in Baltimore City, suffers from cerebral palsy and has been confined to a wheel chair since birth.
Banks will compete, with the assistance of Team ASA volunteer athletes Courtney Sawyer, David Slomkowski and Gregg Elmer at Sunday’s event. Sawyer, of Towson, Maryland and a member of the Clinical Faculty at Loyola University will tow Banks in a custom raft during the swimming leg of the race. Slomkowski, of Timonium and ASA’s executive director and founder will bike with Banks in a custom bicycle and Elmer, of Phoenix, Maryland and an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, will push Banks across the finish line in a custom racing jogger. This is the first time an athlete with cerebral palsy will attempt to complete the Columbia Triathlon.
David Slomkowski, a life-long runner and athlete, created Athletes Serving Athletes (ASA) in September 2006 during a training run along the North Central Railroad trail in Hunt Valley where he had what he calls a “burning bush” experience. “That light bulb went off where I realized I had been given so many blessings,” said Slomkowski. “I realized I was meant to help others with these blessings. I wondered if kids with disabilities would like to race with me.” Slomkowski is a former All-American lacrosse goalie at Washington College and a graduate of DeMatha Catholic High School. Since its formal inception in 2007, ASA has helped disabled and disadvantaged youth from Baltimore cross the finish lines of over 200 5K races, marathons and triathlons.
To prepare for these races, ASA currently hosts 5K training programs at the William S. Baer School, the Maryland School for the Blind and Young Life Capernaum. These programs are free for the institutions and the student athletes. In addition, ASA is currently working with a local foster care center to further expand its reach.
Sawyer became involved with ASA eighteen months ago after hearing Slomkowski speak at the Baltimore Area Triathlon Club. An avid triathlete, Sawyer has been training for the Columbia Triathlon for the past several months by swimming and dragging a custom raft filled with a fifty-pound bag of sand in preparation to tow Banks to the finish. “This race on Sunday is the culmination of why I work with ASA,” said Sawyer. “I love to race and now being able to give someone that same experience that normally wouldn’t have the opportunity will be such a thrill,” she goes on to add. Sawyer will next compete with ASA in the Iron Girl Triathlon as part of an all-female relay team in August 2011. Sawyer will again be competing in the swimming leg of that race too and will resume her training in a few weeks by swimming and towing a sand-filled raft.
Slomkowski, now ASA’s executive director, wants to revolutionize the way disabled children live and give them the experience of participating in athletics. “I can’t put into words what it feels like to witness these athletes competing,” Slomkowski said. “I’m merely just an instrument for them and a small part of a big team of people that makes it happen. James and the other athletes are the ones competing. I’m just along for the ride.”
About Athletes Serving Athletes
Athletes Serving Athletes provides the opportunities for challenged athletes to pursue an active lifestyle by experiencing the thrill of athletic competition otherwise inaccessible to them. ASA offers programs and services to challenged athletes that focus on inspiring, preparing and competing with them in local running, triathlon and cycling events. The majority of the athletes ASA works with are physically challenged youths that require a racing partner, custom racing joggers, bike carriers and swim rafts. To learn more about ASA please visit www.athletesservingathletes.org.
Contact:
David Slomkowski, (443) 756-7711
Executive Director, Athletes Serving Athletes
Recent Grant Awards
Wiessner Foundation for Children, Inc 
During the fall of 2009 ASA was granted an award in the amount of $3,400.00 from the Wiessner Foundation for Children, Inc. Mr. Paul Krebs presented the check to ASA this fall. Elise Saltzberg, on behalf of ASA, submitted a grant proposal requesting funding for a high end, custom racing jogger for the athletes we serve.
The custom jogger (already nicknamed “The Red Rocket”) has arrived and made it’s debut at Blood Water Mission’s 5k in May. ASA is very fortunate to have such wonderful sponsors and local support.
The Wiessner Foundation for Children, established in 1905, was originally dedicated to serving children that had been orphaned. It served many children over the years, but has stopped operating homes and has evolved into a charitable foundation. It offers grants to area non-profit organizations that support children, and is pleased to support children and families in the area affected by Autism.
Melaleuca The Wellness Company
Thanks to Chip and Rebecca Connor and Melaleuca, ASA had a custom bike built specifically for our athletes. It is quite simply one of a kind and will enable our athletes to compete in bigger and better events.
If you or someone you know is interested in finding out more information about buying or selling Melaleuca products please email us at info@asa-info.org
The Dana and Christopher Reeve Foundation 
ASA would like to thank Kelly & Associates, Charm City Run, The St. Patrick’s Parade and the 45 volunteers that came down to support us in the race.
The Baer School running team was out again large and in charge. ASA enabled these athletes to compete. Notice 4 new racing joggers in picture!!
Special Big Thanks to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation for their recent grant award to ASA that enabled us to purchase two of the new custom racing joggers.
Martin J. Smith Foundation 
ASA is also grateful to Derek Ehman and The Martin J. Smith Foundation for the recent grant award of $3,000.00 that enabled ASA to purchase two custom tents for our charity teams and racing events. Some of the funds will also go towards purchasing equipment and accessories for our new custom racing equipment.
Recent Events:
2nd Annual Hope’s Heroes 5k Fun Run and Wheelchair Challenge
On Saturday June 5th ASA and Young Life Capernaum hosted the second annual Hope’s Heroes 5k, 1 mile fun run and wheelchair challenge. We had 273 registered runners, up from 193 from last year. 50 of the participants where challenged athletes competing as a result of the hard work by both organizations. Many of these athletes trained and finished their first 5k.
In addition to the athletes from Young Life Capernaum we had athletes from The William S. Baer School, Maryland School for the Blind, The Childrens Guild, Arrow Child and Family Ministries, and Kennedy Krieger’s Liz Lasker with her two Alex’s. Inspiring beyond words…
Thank you to the 80 volunteers who made the event a success, and also to Matt Stover for taking time out of his day to offer words of inspiration as well as starting the race. Each organization will each take home $3,500.00.
Special thank you to the following:
Race Committee: Geoff Miller, Ruth Brintnall, Mike Schwing, Ben Lightner, Karen Topper, Kate Richa, Erich Becker, Wendy Kwaitkowski (Polish Power!!), Linda Tice, Ben Horrigan, Jeff Weaver and Matt Stover.
Hope Sponsor: Chick Fil A
Hero Sponsors: Towsontown Rotary Club, Team Hoyt, Kelly & Associates/KTBS Payroll, and Melaleuca
Power Sponsors: Professional Benefit Solutions
Endurance Sponsors: Pepsi Cola Bottling Group Union Ave, Eagles View Consulting Services, Law Offices of Kristine Howanski, Maryland Party Rentals, Single Source Integrated Services, Weight Watchers, Tim Donohue
Other thanks to: Cromwell Valley Park, Panera Bread and Baltimore Coffee & Tea.
Top Fund Raiser award went to Kristine Howanski who also took first place in her age category!! Thank you Kristine and to all of our fundraisers, you make all the difference!!
Team ASA Update
From Team ASA Captain Sarah Oglesby:
Dear Team ASA Team Members,
We are proud to announce that the latest Newsletter is available to view online at our team fundraising website: www.teamasa.kintera.org (The link to the newsletter is on the left-hand side above "Team ASA Registration"). Thank you to EVERYONE that has made this possible!
It is CRITICAL that you review the newsletter in detail so as not to miss any information about uniform fittings, upcoming Fundraising Events, the training program, fundraising tips and more... Continue to check in at the website (www.teamasa.kintera.org) for group ride information and any other updates.
Next Sunday, June 27th Team ASA will have 15 members competing in the Celebration Sprint Triathlon hosted by the Columbia Triathlon Association.
In addition to these 15 members ASA athlete Shane Lauer will be competing alongside 2,400 other triathletes with ASA’s new custom jogger and bike generously made possible by Chip and Rebecca Connor and Melaleuca!! (Sorry to embarrass you but we are grateful!!)
August 22nd Team ASA will be represented by 22 female triathletes at CTA’s Irongirl Triathlon in Columbia, Maryland. In addition to racing these athletes have been raising funds for ASA. Thank you everyone, words cannot describe our gratitude.
If you would like to sponsor one of our Team ASA members or make a general contribution to the team as a whole, please visit our website at www.teamasa.kintera.org
LET'S GO TEAM ASA!!
Cheers,
Sarah
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