T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM — Jake Reynolds, owner of Black Iron Barbell, is hosting a deadlifting fundraiser for Iowa River Hospice in his gym on Saturday. All proceeds will go toward the Day of Care fund, which helps pay for the care of patients in hospice.

A new type of fundraiser will be held Saturday.

Lifting Party Fundraiser for Iowa River Hospice is a deadlifting competition hosted at Black Iron Barbell. Owner Jake Reynolds said it might be the first time such a fundraiser has been held in Marshalltown. He chose to do deadlifting so more people can participate.

“It’s the easiest to do,” he said. “Anyone can do it. You just pick it up and put it down. Some of the other events — the squatting, the bench — are a little more technical. This is kind of open for more people to jump in.”

There will be two bars competitors can use so two people can lift at the same time. One bar will contain lighter weights, and the other will go higher, Reynolds said. Unlike regular powerlifting competitions, there will not be weight classes in the Lifting Party Fundraiser.

He said the competition will begin with a bare bar warmup. Then, more weights will be added. Reynolds said competitors can determine how much they want to lift.

“You can miss once, but if you miss twice, you’re out,” he said. “It’s not like a true competition where we’re going to have a winner, because in this everybody wins. Iowa River Hospice wins. They’re the real winner. That’s the goal. It’s more of a fundraiser and a good community event to get people aware of the services they provide.”

Reynolds will not have big awards for participants, but will provide tiny novelty trophies, a “fun thing.” He does plan on having some raffles for Black Iron T-shirts.

For non-weightlifters, Reynolds will provide a grilled burger meal. Erin Nuese of Thrivent Financial will supply the majority of the burgers and buns. Upon hearing what the fundraiser was doing, he said she jumped on board. Reynolds asked Black Iron members to bring side dishes, and he will provide beverages.

“I’ve got [a lot of] people interested in the food,” he said. “It’s a free-will donation. So, somebody has $2, somebody has $20, somebody doesn’t have any money, but just needs a burger. It’s open. The ultimate goal is to raise money for Iowa River Hospice.”

After getting the idea, Reynolds reached out to hospice Volunteer Coordinator and Community Liaison Pamela Wells one month ago with the fundraising idea, of which 100 percent of the proceeds will go to Iowa River.

“It is so wonderful,” Wells said. “[Jake] had family here and knows how much we touch families. He wants to give back.”

Reynolds said the Lifting Party was something he wanted to do since he opened Black Iron in the Marshalltown Mall. Unfortunately, the situation at the mall did not allow him to focus on his idea.

Both his mother, Joy Reynolds and his father-in-law, Bob Nichols, were patients of Iowa River at the same time. He said the service is not something people think about until it is needed. The staff members of Iowa River have to be a special type of person, he said, to be able to see that everyday and still return with smiles on their faces.

“When we needed it, every person we dealt with was top-notch, literally like angels for keeping my mom and father-in-law in good care and comfort,” Reynolds said. “I wanted to find a way to give back to them. It’s just a way to say thanks.”

The raised money will also come from the $25 competitor entry fee. Wells said the proceeds will be placed in the Day of Care fund, which is used to pay for the care of patients who do not have the financial means. It costs $250 for a day of care for each patient, and Iowa River treats an average of 325 people each year.

“Maybe they have a lack of insurance or they are underinsured,” she said. “We do not turn anyone away. That is why we have the fund.”

Other Iowa River fundraisers in 2024 are being planned, but have not yet been finalized, Wells said. She added they were unable to hold the annual Night of Stars this year but look forward to its 2025 return.

Businesses and organizations reaching out to host a fundraiser for Iowa River does not happen often. However, they do get people volunteering time and effort. The Emerson Women’s Impact Network will be at Iowa River today to put plants around the building. Wells said they do that annually and also show up in the winter every year to decorate for the holidays.

Wells was appreciative of both the deadlifting fundraiser and the volunteer efforts. She said if additional businesses, organizations or people want to donate anything, they should contact her at Iowa River, 641-753-7704 or visit their website, iowariverhospice.com.

“We appreciate any and all donations,” she said. “We rely heavily on donors.”

EVENT INFO:

Location: Black Iron Barbell

Address: 104 E. Linn St.

Day: Saturday

Time: 7 p.m.

Donations: For people who are unable to attend, but would still like to contribute, donations can be sent to the Black Iron Barbell account on Venmo. All donations will be sent to Iowa River Hospice.

Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.