05/31/2026
What an incredible Memorial Day weekend.
From throwing out the first pitch and meeting people on the concourse at the Binghamton Rumble Ponies game, to welcoming friends, families, students, veterans, and community members into the gym for our We Defy Foundation fundraiser, we are genuinely humbled by the support we received.
Thanks to your generosity, we've raised just shy of our $500 goal to help provide Brazilian Jiu Jitsu scholarships for combat veterans coping with military-connected disabilities through the We Defy Foundation.
A huge thank you to everyone who donated, attended, shared a post, stopped by our table, bought a raffle ticket, or simply helped spread the word. Community support like this is what makes events like these possible.
Special thanks to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, the We Defy Foundation, our students and families, The Binghamtonian, WIVT/WBGH and WBNG news teams for their coverage, our door prize sponsor at Planet Fitness Binghamton, the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association Finger Lakes Chapter, and everyone else who volunteered their time to help make the weekend a success!
If you'd still like to contribute, we'll continue accepting donations through Wednesday before we send everything to the We Defy Foundation. Every dollar helps, we're only $40 shy of the goal!
The best part of the weekend wasn't the fundraiser total, the first pitch, or even the door prizes. It was seeing people come together for a cause bigger than themselves, and to enjoy a night of camaraderie together. That's something worth celebrating!
(Although... watching Professor Kyle throw a first pitch that actually reached home plate was a close second. π€£π
Thank you all for your support!