There are certain days that stay with you. Not because of the numbers, but because of how they feel. April 25th at Fenway Park was one of those days.

For the second year in a row, I had the privilege of chairing Climb for the Cause, and what continues to stand out isn’t just the outcome, but the way people show up for it. This year, we set a goal of $570,000. As of today, we’ve surpassed that, currently at $601,506.37 and still climbing. That momentum is a direct reflection of the community around this event - friends, families, colleagues, and corporate partners who continue to lean in and bring others along with them.

Last year, the story was resilience. We had 742 people register, but with steady rain throughout the morning, 439 showed up to climb. And somehow, that made it even more memorable. People leaned into it. There was a sense of grit, of shared experience, of not letting the conditions dictate the day.

This year felt different. Boston gave us crisp, clear skies and 51-degree sunshine. We saw 800 people register, and Fenway filled with a different kind of energy - lighter, more fun, but just as meaningful. There’s something powerful about seeing people from completely different walks of life moving together, step by step, through an iconic space like Fenway, all connected by a shared purpose.

That purpose is what grounds everything. Climb for the Cause supports Project Place, a Boston-based nonprofit focused on helping individuals move from homelessness to stability through job training, employment, and housing support. It’s real work with real outcomes, and what makes this event special is how that mission comes to life through participation. People don’t just donate - they show up, they bring teams, they invite their communities, and they turn something abstract into something tangible.

For us at Rayvn, our role has been to help shape and amplify that energy behind the scenes. Over the past two years, we’ve supported social and fundraising strategy, marketing, and creative direction, thinking about how to build something that people genuinely want to be part of. This year, we worked closely with Kelly O’Rourke to help drive social strategy and activation, ensuring the energy of the event extended well beyond Fenway and into the broader community. In parallel, Sam Folz partnered with the Project Place team to refresh and elevate their marketing materials, helping create a more cohesive and engaging visual presence across the board.

One of the ideas we introduced this year was simple: treat the event t-shirt less like a giveaway and more like something collectible. Working with our Senior Art Director Aaron Schrade and partner/Creative Director Chris Nazzaro, we set out to create a design that people would actually want to wear beyond the event—more like a concert tee than a typical fundraiser shirt. It’s a small shift, but one that reflects a bigger mindset around how experiences can extend beyond a single day.

None of this happens without the people who continue to support it year after year. We’re incredibly grateful to our families, friends, clients, and partners, including Compass Group, Aramark, and Nexdine for showing up in such a meaningful way. A special shoutout goes to Michelle Currier and the CCL Hospitality team, who have supported the climb for the past three years. They’ve consistently brought energy, volunteers, and participants, and this year showed up with one of the largest teams across Compass Group’s CCL Hospitality and Crothall divisions. It’s that kind of continued support that makes this whole thing feel personal.

Looking back at 2025, when we set a goal of $500,000 and ultimately raised $557,000, it felt like a breakthrough moment. This year confirmed that it wasn’t a one-off. There’s something real here, something that continues to grow because people believe in it.

Two years in, it’s clear that this isn’t just an event we support. It’s something we’re deeply connected to. Not just because of the outcome, but because of what it represents - community, shared effort, and the idea that when people come together with intention, they can create something meaningful.