Sean Kimerling was a young, vibrant and engaging sports personality in New York when he was lost to testicular cancer at the very young age of 37 in 2003. The Emmy award winning anchor of WPIX 11 sports and pre-game announcer for the Mets, Kimerling would surely have been in the mix this last week as The Amazin’s reached The World Series. Now a growing and vibrant company that is all about living a healthy and long life, things Kimerling always preached, is looking to use November to raise money for the deadly and treatable disease that took Kimerling’s life.
Welcome to Rowvember.
Rhone, the premier men’s active wear and lifestyle brand founded by Nate and Ben Checketts, the sons of former MSG head Dave Checketts, kicked off its inaugural Rowvember Challenge this week under the phrase, “Give a Pair to Save a Pair.” Rhone, which recently opened a pop-up store in SoHo, will ask every willing participant to hop on a stationary rower and row for two minutes. Consumers donate $1 for every 100 meters rowed and then, tag two friends and challenge them to do the same.
“It’s incredible to see a community come together around a single cause. We witnessed it with the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, Movember and other like-minded campaigns,” stated Ben Checketts, director of marketing at Rhone in a release this week. “We have a built-in community of ambassadors, friends, family and customers who we know will be excited at the prospect of such a monumental challenge. We anticipate Rowvember becoming an annual tradition, something that people not only look forward to, but train for year-round!”
Rhone is also working with Princeton’s US Rowing organization to provide ongoing support and encourage professional rower participation. Row House NYC, ProBar and Concept2 have also come on as participants and a public leaderboard at Rowvember.org will show each entrants’ current standing as well as push new participants to row their hardest, all in the name of charity. At the end of the month, one winner will receive a prize pack valued at $500, including a large donation made in their name to TCF.
“Here at the Testicular Cancer Foundation, we are really excited for the Rowvember Challenge,” stated Matt Ferstler, founder and CEO at Testicular Cancer Foundation added in a statement. “It is a great opportunity to not only have fun, compete against your friends and the rowing community, but to raise much needed funds and awareness for Testicular Cancer.”
It has been a big few months for the Connecticut-based Rhone. They announced a large round of funding with the likes of David Stern and Shane Battier, opened their first retail location and have had record sales in the “athleisure” category. Now they are putting their vibrant efforts to help raise money for a cause that can be a silent killer for young men. Smart moves all around, a story Kimerling would have loved to have covered.