CrossFit workout fundraiser held for Change Unchained Organization

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Several CrossFit members from across the area gathered at the Panama City CrossFit location on Saturday for a fundraiser workout to combat sex trafficking.

“What they’ve done is they’ve created a workout that people are donating money to be involved with. Which goes towards Change Unchained,” Troy Ulshoeffer, Change Unchained Founder, said.

Change Unchained is a nonprofit organization striving to help children who have been trafficked, get back to their families.

“We work with law enforcement to do search and rescue operations for missing, exploited, and trafficked individuals nationwide,” Ulshoeffer said.

Proceeds earned from the CrossFit workout benefit the organization by allowing them to provide tiny homes. The homes are on a 21-acre parcel of land in the Gulf Coast.

“Within that tiny house village we will allow survivors to temporarily stay there as they get back on their feet and deal with the healing process with professionals and things of that nature,” Ulshoeffer said.

One attendee spoke on what it meant to work out for a new reason.

“It definitely adds a whole new element to doing a workout. It’s really cool that each of the numbers and repetition schemes and time domains. They were all something significant,” Kassidy Kuykendall said.

For Ulshoeffer, there’s one takeaway he hopes everyone; especially parents walked away with from the event.

“Be invasive with your kids, don’t be your kid’s friend. Make sure their devices, who they’re interacting with, their online activity, you need to monitor that and even if your kid gets mad about it. In the long run, it’ll be worth it, I promise,” Ulshoeffer said.

For those who may want to get involved with the organization, whether that be through donations or volunteering, visit their website or call 855-262-2228.

For those interested in Panama City CrossFit, visit their website, Facebook, or Instagram pages.

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