User:Hobobond/Challenged Athletes Foundation

History
The Challenged Athletes Foundation was founded in 1997.

It was established in response to below-knee-amputee endurance racer Jim MacLaren suffering a devastating second accident while competing in a triathlon. He was hit by a car during the bike leg and was paralyzed from the neck down. His many friends quickly decided to raise funds for his recovery, and organized the first San Diego Triathlon Challenge (SDTC) – an annual fundraising triathlon event at La Jolla Cove, California, USA.

Mission
The Challenged Athletes Foundation mission is to provide opportunities and support to people with physical disabilities so they can pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics. The Challenged Athletes Foundation believes that involvement in sports at any level increases self-esteem, encourages independence and enhances quality of life.

Events
The Challenged Athletes Foundation holds a number of high profile fund raising events in order to raise money to support disabled athletes to compete in sports. These include CAF events theSan Diego Triathlon Challenge; Million Dollar Challenge; Heroes, Heart and Hope Gala held at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, Hawaii Revisited; Tour de Cove; Rock on the Green and numerous other events under the banner of Race for a Reason.

Athletes
The Challenged Athletes Foundation has enabled a number of disabled athletes to get to the starting line. Amongst these are Sarah Reinertsen who was the first female leg amputee to complete the Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Kona, Hawaii