Activities abound in Jan. 8th memorial event

To commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 8, 2011, mass shooting, volunteers are going above and Beyond by providing opportunities for the public to come together outdoors to walk, cycle, hike, dance and more.

Beyond, which will take place Saturday, is an annual communitywide festival that was initially spearheaded in 2012 by the extended family of Gabe Zimmerman, who was one of six people killed in the shootings at then-Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ “Congress on Your Corner” event.

With a commitment “to building a healthier community together,” the festival is facilitated by about 100 community partners — businesses, nonprofits, churches, religious organizations, environmental and social groups, social-service agencies, health-care organizations and national and county parks — and is sponsored by Tucson Medical Center, Cenpatico Integrated Care and Community Partners Inc.

“I think Beyond has become a Tucson tradition for folks to start the year off in a positive fashion and put things in perspective by looking back at the previous year and setting goals in terms of impacting their own health and making the community a stronger, better place,” said Michelle Crow, coordinator of Beyond.

Crow is particularly excited the roster of free events continues to expand in order to appeal to a wider range of ages, interests and fitness levels.

New offerings include the Oro Valley Ultimate Frisbee Beyond Kick-off Tournament and the Fifth Annual Ride to Remember, a 30-mile bike ride that traverses streets in Tucson and Oro Valley.

The ultimate frisbee tournament, which starts at noon Saturday at Riverfront Park, 551 W. Lambert Lane, is open to those ages 14 and up, and seeks to “do something different and shake things up” while promoting health and wellness, according to tournament coordinator Nick Scala.

Scala described ultimate frisbee as a workout that perfectly combines competition and fun, since it involves strategy, but is not a contact sport. He said the game appeals to beginners, disc golfers and athletes of all levels. Teams are composed of at least seven players, and a requested $5 donation per player will benefit Beyond. Call 229-5054 for registration or more information.

“You need one person who is a thrower and athletes who are able to catch, so it is a well-rounded sport ... .” Scala said.

Scala, who became involved with Beyond recently, appreciates the opportunity for healing that the festival brings.

“Beyond is based on the fact that it takes very violent acts committed out of hatred and takes the conversation completely away from reducing gun violence and talks instead about promoting health and wellness. I think the issue with many tragedies is that people focus too much on the negative instead of flipping it over and promoting positive ideas about how we want people to come out of the tragedy,” Scala said.

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Another volunteer who believes strongly in the mission is Damion Alexander, coordinator of the 5th Annual Ride to Remember, which is now officially affiliated with Beyond.

“Beyond has done a great job in getting more people outside,” Alexander said. “We are very fortunate that we live in a community where you can get outside pretty much every day. The more we get out, the healthier the entire community becomes, not just physically, but also mentally. And most importantly, it’s the people you meet while involved in cycling, hiking or running — that’s what builds community.”

Alexander said the free ride attracts cyclists on mountain bikes, recumbents and ElliptiGos, as well as road bikes. The route was designed to be symbolic of Jan. 8, 2011, and is marked by significant locations.

It starts at Banner-University Medical Center Tucson, where patients were treated after the shooting, passes along the Cañada del Oro Christina-Taylor Green Memorial River Park, named in honor of the youngest victim, and makes a memorial stop at the Safeway, located at West Ina and North Oracle roads, where the shooting occurred.

Damion subscribes to the philanthropic philosophy that if every person contributes a little bit, the collective result has a phenomenal influence on the community.

“I have found that the smallest task can have the most profound impact, but it is still imperative to take that first small step,” he said.

In another innovative effort to impact community well-being, Beyond will host Beyond BALLE — a community discussion about building grass-roots economic approaches toward community health through localism.

“A key part of a healthy community is building our financial health as a community, not just individually. A group of Tucsonans went to the 2015 BALLE conference last summer and came back with great ideas about strengthening our economy by supporting local businesses. They are having a Tucson-specific conversation, and inviting others to join them,” Crow said.

Beyond BALLE, from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday is part of the downtown Beyond Kick-Off Event — Together We Move!, which will be at Armory Park, 220 S. Sixth Ave.

The kickoff will also feature a health fair, a family-friendly bicycle ride through downtown neighborhoods, free jazzercise, Zumba and nutrition classes, and a range of discussions and activities such as yoga, tai-chi, line dancing, ballroom dancing, table tennis, shuffleboard, bocce and more. Health-care navigators will also be available to assist the public in signing up for health insurance prior to the Jan. 31 deadline.