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OP platform Tournament helps ‘Catch A Lift’

JOSH DAVIS/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
Members of Ocean Pines Platform Tennis last Saturday raised several thousand dollars for a locally based nonprofit benefiting wounded veterans throughout the United States.

By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Oct. 4, 2018) Catch A Lift, a nonprofit organization that assists wounded veterans, was the beneficiary of more than $6,000 in donations raised during a tournament hosted by the Ocean Pines Platform Tennis Association last Saturday.

The foundation, which originated locally, was started to honor U.S. Army Spc. Christopher J. Coffland, a Baltimore native killed by an improvised explosive device while serving in Afghanistan.

According to an online statement, the nonprofit’s mission is rooted in Coffland’s belief “that through fitness, one can reach their highest potential both mentally and physically. [Catch A Lift] believes fitness is a personal choice, individual as each member. Choosing how and where to workout, offering options for coaching, accountability and mentors, assures that each veteran’s unique needs are met.”

David Coffland, an Ocean Pines resident, helped launch the organization in 2010.

“Our son was killed in Afghanistan in 2009 and in 2010 my daughter originally started [the nonprofit] with some members of our family … and we’ve been doing it ever since,” he said.

During opening remarks, Coffland said 140 minutes of hard, physical exercise per week can increase serotonin levels.

“You all will feel a little bit of euphoria after you workout here today,” he said. “That’s what we do. Up to date, we have 4,500 members enrolled throughout the United States. A veteran who comes to us can go to any gym or any kind of physical program they desire.”

He said volunteers monitor the activities to ensure “they’re using our money. If they’re not, we don’t renew them.”

The idea is that exercise benefits mental health, something Coffland said was important for many veterans at risk of post-traumatic stress disorder.

“We had one fellow who was in the Marine Corps and … had about six tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Saw all kinds of things,” he said. “He came home, gained 110 pounds, became an alcoholic, [did] drugs, just didn’t know what to do.

“In Michigan, one day in the backyard, he had a gun up in his jaw and was ready to kill himself, and he suddenly decided, well, this isn’t a real good idea,” Coffland continued. “So, he went back in his house and gets a phone call from his buddy. His buddy said, ‘I was the same way, but I joined Catch A Lift. They immediately got me a gym membership. I’ve been working out and losing weight, and I feel good.’”

According to Coffland, the man took to the program and over time lost 100 pounds. He went from taking 22 different medications to just two, Coffland said.

“He became a spokesman for us. He goes to big fundraisers, the financial district in New York, talks with all those people, goes to country clubs, and he started his own business,” he said. “That’s what we’ve been able to accomplish and we’re very proud of it.”

In a separate interview, Coffland said 10 percent of money raised went to nonprofit administrative costs – the remaining 90 percent went directly to wounded veterans.

“For 501(c) [nonprofit] fundraisers, a 90-10 ratio is extremely good,” Coffland said.

He also expressed his gratitude to the Platform Tennis Association.

“Events like this are part of our lifeblood. We do fundraisers all over the United States with various organizations,” David Coffland said. “It means a great deal to us, and we also understand how hard these people and their volunteers work to get these things together. It’s a lot of effort for their part.”

Event organizer Michael Petito said the tournament was the first such event in Ocean Pines to benefit Catch a Lift.

He was inspired by a wounded veteran friend who plays platform tennis, and by the “Portraits of Courage” book authored by former President George W. Bush.

“The story of all the veterans and how they recovered inspired me,” Petito said. “And Dave and Tony Coffland were friends of ours. They used to play cards with us and I knew about their son, Christopher. When I read his story I said, ‘Boy, I’ve got to do it.’”

More than $6,400 was raised as of Saturday morning, according to co-organizer Susan Walter. She said the 60-plus participants had come from as far as Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania.

“The platform tennis group and all our members are fantastic,” Petito said. “It’s a fantastic group with a lot of volunteers, and it took them all to put this together.”

To donate to Catch A Lift, visit www.catchaliftfund.org.