16th “Saving Animals” Indoor Triathlon At Funspot

The 16th Annual “Saving Animals” Indoor Triathlon will once again be held at Funspot in Weirs Beach on Saturday, March 21st.
All of the monies raised will go to helping various animal rescue groups throughout the state.
“There is a real need to help these great organizations, right in our own backyard, whose mission is to save animals,” said Starr Lawton, the creator and organizer of the triathlon which has raised over a quarter of a million dollars since its inception.
Lawton, along with a group of other animal lovers formed the organization FUNds4Paws a couple of years ago to host the Triathlon as well as do other fundraising events. Most recently a Bowl-A-Thon held last fall also at Funspot.
“The Saving Animals Indoor Triathlon has become a landmark event for the Lakes Region, and we are so incredibly fortunate to have our family business, Funspot, to host this event! There’s nothing else like it! It was due to its success that the idea for FUNds4Paws was created. The idea for the Triathlon came to me 16 years ago when a group of friends came in to Funspot on a rainy day in the summer to have their own “triathlon” of bowling, pool and darts. Steve Lawton and I brainstormed for about 20 minutes and we knew we were on to something, AND, we knew we wanted it to benefit animals!”

Since FUNds4Paws is still waiting on their official non-profit status, all of the proceeds from the Indoor Triathlon will go to Live and Let Live Farm in Chichester who will then distribute funds to other animal rescue organizations including, Friends Of The Feral Cats, Those Cat Rescue People, Lakes Region Humane Society In Ossipee, Franklin Animal Shelter, SNIP-IT Mobile Veterinary Unit and Live and Let Live Farm Rescue.
How the Indoor Triathlon works is four member teams compete in Bowling, Games and Golf at Funspot (18-hole Indoor Mini-Golf, Candlepin Bowling, Pinball, Skeeball and Darts).
Prizes will be awarded to not just the Triathlon winners, but also to the team that raises the most funds outside of the competition as well as for the team that comes in dead last.

The Pledge Prize Raffle will give one raffle entry per person on each team for every five hundred dollars they raise. The raffle prize is a 5-day Cruise to the Bahamas or the Caribbean.
There will be other prizes and awards as well a 50/50 raffle. All teams will be provided with delicious pizza and soft drinks and an official event T-shirt.
Registration is $200 for a team of four with a minimum team pledge of $200.
Registration begins at 10am and the 16th Annual Indoor Triathlon gets underway at 11am.
“We are really trying to create a network of people within animal rescue/animal welfare organizations where we can maintain connections and work together for the betterment of the animal community,” said Lawton who also stressed the fact that every penny raised at the Triathlon will be going directly to care for animals.

So far the confirmed Big Dog sponsors for this year’s event are Union Diner, Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant and Rhode Island Novelty.
As well as supporting sponsors: Lake Side Animal Hospital, Mix 94.1 FM, Oldies 92.9, Planet 101.1 FM, WSCY 106.9 FM, Funspot and the Weirs Times.
To register your team or make a donation online go to FUNds4Paws.org/Triathlon.
Funspot is located at 579 Endicott St N, Laconia.