- October 8, 2021
F3 Nation 10 Year Anniversary
Press Release 10/6/2021
F3 Cape Fear
David Frederiksen (F3 nickname “The Hoff”)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10/6/21
F3 NATION’S ‘FREED TO LEAD’ GATHER TO CELEBRATE 10 YEARS, FUNDRAISER HELPS FREE OTHERS
WILMINGTON, NC: On the weekend of October 8-10, hundreds of “freed-to-lead” men of F3 Nation (f3nation.com) will descend on the Port City to celebrate the Charlotte-based, international organization’s 10-year anniversary. Local chapter F3 Cape Fear will host the paid, multi-venue event, which includes a major fundraiser to help end modern-day slavery.
Anniversary festivities begin Friday with a reception and dinner from 5-9pm at downtown Wilmington’s Hotel Ballast. On Saturday, participants gather for a group workout (called a Convergence) from 7-8:30am at Wrightsville Beach’s Johnnie Mercers Pier, followed by coffee hour (or Coffeteria) from 8:30-9:45am at the beach gazebo. Anniversary-goers then choose from a wide variety of athletic (Brolympics,10K, Iron Pax Challenge) or philanthropic (Diaper Bank of NC, Eden Village) activities until 12 noon, with hotel breakout sessions and networking beginning at 2:30pm. A banquet-style dinner with remarks at the hotel begins at 6pm, where, shortly after, the weekend’s culminating event — the End It Ruck Challenge — will see more than 200 F3 men step off into darkness with weighted backpacks, or rucks, to complete a 26.2-mile road march through Carolina Beach and surrounding areas to shed light on and help combat modern-day slavery. On Sunday, celebrations wrap up with group worship from 9:30-11:30am at the hotel.
“We’re extremely excited and grateful to be celebrating our ten-year anniversary in Wilmington,” said John Lambert (F3 nickname “Slaughter”), F3 Nation’s chief executive officer. “From our very first workout, our goal has been to create positive change by helping men of all ages look within, break down barriers and maximize their potential, thus ‘freeing them to lead’ — in their communities, families, workplaces and, most important, in service to one another. This huge gathering is a happy and humbling testament to that mission, and we can’t wait to see what the next ten years bring.”
The End It Ruck Challenge, part of the international END IT Movement, hopes to raise — with help from a collective of other similarly-aligned fundraising partners — $327,500 to fund 50 rescue operations to free victims of modern-day slavery, of which there are an estimated 40 million worldwide, according to the anti-slavery awareness website enditmovement.com. Rescue operations, which average $6,550 per rescue, consist of lawyers, counselors and activists partnering with law enforcement to arrest and prosecute criminals, while working to rehabilitate and re-assimilate persons victimized by human trafficking, forced labor or involuntary domestic servitude. To date, F3 Cape Fear, with help from other F3 chapters, has raised more than $60,000 of the collective goal amount.
“We turned one of F3’s key mantras on its head for this event, choosing to ‘lead by freeing’ and help free victims of modern-day slavery,” said James Connolley (F3 nickname “Beauty”), leader of F3 Cape Fear and ruck event organizer. “Just think what it means to set someone’s wife, mother, child or husband free? What an incredible opportunity we’ve been given through F3 and END IT to do something outside ourselves.”
All anniversary events will comply with COVID restrictions and recommendations, according to CDC guidelines. For more information, visit f310year.com. Interviews, video and photo opportunities available upon request.
About F3 Nation: Begun in 2011 in Charlotte, NC, by a former Army Special Forces soldier and a one-time Harvard rower, F3 (Fitness, Fellowship, Faith) exists to plant, grow and serve small workout groups for men for the invigoration of male community leadership. Workouts, which convene at 5:30am, six days a week, operate on the following core principles: free of charge; open to all men; held outdoors; peer-led; and ends with a Circle of Trust. Men who attend, or “post,” at a workout receive a lifelong nickname for use by the rest of the group, or “Pax.” F3 Nation, currently active in almost every US state and select countries abroad, is incorporated as a not-for-profit business in the state of North Carolina. For more information, visit f3nation.com.
Italian Job:
This is a story about miracles from this weekend.
Our newest FNG was named “Rojas” at the 10 Year Convergence. @Olaf (TheFort, SC) gave him an EH as we ran to the workout. He joined us for the full beatdown. After a couple minutes of throwing out ideas in the Name-a-Rama, we settled on “Rojas” after a character on the show “Ted Lasso.”
We didn’t know until afterward, but he was honored to get the nickname. Unbeknownst to any of the 355 men there, Rojas was his mother’s maiden name. She passed three months ago and on the morning we ran by him, he was thinking about her.
If you do not believe in a higher power, perhaps this story will remind you that there are no coincidences. Leave space for the miraculous.
Beauty:
We have been focused as a Region on our mission to plant, grow, and serve small workout groups for the invigoration of male community leadership. Each PAX has taken up the mantle to #engage #accelerate and #impact as we are called.
The Old Testament recounts moments when the Israelites would build monuments to God’s faithfulness after HE performed a miracle in their midst. This was done so they REMEMBERED who’s they were and who they were in the midst of every season of life.
The F3 10 Year has certainly been something similar for F3 Cape Fear. The invigoration, the sharpening, the inspiration…. It’s powerful what happens when a group of High Impact Men gather together with a clear mission and vision.
The success of this past weekend and overall success of the region belongs to you, the HIM of F3 Cape Fear.
There are some important PAX to honor in this moment:
This past weekend never would have happened if it weren’t for @Sparky (your former Nant’an). He was instrumental in leading F3 Cape Fear to make a submission to host F3 Nation’s 10 Year Anniversary so we could actually prove this is the “best AO in the nation.” Thank you @Sparky.
What a pleasure it was to see @Sundance show all PAX the reason for his name with an excellent masterpiece produced for submission to win the 10 Year Host honor. Thank you @Sundance (and every other stud involved).
After we won this honor, the question was asked, who is going to Q this thing? In other words, who is going to take responsibility for all outcomes of this event? On a zoom call with about 12 HIM of F3 Cape Fear one evening about 18 months ago, @Gravity simply said, “I’ll do it.” And that has made all the difference. Thank you for being #freedtolead @Gravity. We are all benefactors.
The 10 Year Celebration afforded PAX many opportunities to be #freedtolead
A few HIM that must be mentioned in this context are:
@Steak Knives, your preparation and execution of the 10 Year IPC was sharp as could be. Obviously, we didn’t expect any less. Because you are you. A freakin beast. Thank you @Steak Knives.
@Hush Money, you and your team pulled off a 10K that the fellas will be talking about for a long time because of how much it sucked (in the best way possible). You’re always their when needed. Thank you @Hush Money.
@Hushpuppy and @Brackish, the Brolympics was absolutely epic. @Hushpuppy, your planning is top shelf. You truly set everyone up for success. @Brackish, your commentary was exactly what F3 needed on Saturday morning, clear leadership with hilarious shenanigans throughout. Too many quotes to recount from the MC. Thank you @Hushpuppy and @Brackish.
@10 count, your orchestration and relentless pursuit of service for “the least of these” was put on full display during the 10 Year Celebration. It’s only fitting you were the Q here. It’s simply an overflow of who you are. The team you developed and empowered to lead each service project seems like a no brainer. How could you not give @letc, @Wapner, and @EOM the reigns. Thank you @10 count.
Bono is a HIM from F3 ENC and played an invaluable role in coordinating all of the break out sessions. Our very own @Witchdoctor shared his heart and added extreme value to our PAX during one of those sessions. The years of experience and education behind what you shared carry immense weight. Thank you Bono and @Witchdoctor.
@Flight Nurse, your leadership and execution of the End It Ruck 26.2 mile event was world class. Your team of PL’s and PS’s was top notch and gladly followed your lead. The support crew was also indispensable and there when the men needed them every step of the way. Any man would be honored to have you as their Cadre any day brother. Thank you @Flight Nurse.
@Gump and @Big Sky, the #enditruckchallenge would not have raised over $110,000 thus far to fund Rescue Operations for those in modern day slavery if it weren’t for the two of you. Your vision and steadfastness through the last eight months has been second to none. @Circuit breaker and @SEAHORSE, you both have been significant contributors to the framework and promotion of this mission and we are all better for it. Generations will be changed because of you gentlemen. Thank you @Gump, @Big Sky, @SEAHORSE, and @Circuit breaker and every other HIM that gave above and beyond.
@Brady, the culmination of the whole 10 Year Event for many was the Sunday morning worship service. If your goal was to point us to JESUS and inspire us in our calling as men, you certainly achieved it and then some. Thank you @Brady.
There are many names not mentioned here. @Snickers is one of them and the perfect example of a HIM living behind the scenes yet having massive impact on this event and this region.
“It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t care who gets the credit.” - Harry Truman
AS WE ADVANCE.
We’re in the last quarter of 2021 with our next goal being 50 workouts in F3 Cape Fear every week. We’re currently at 49 and accelerating in growing what we already have as we continue to plant and serve.
There are men in this region who have been saved, set free from addiction, seen their marriages restored, made lifelong friends, grown astronomically in their impact, and/or viewed themselves as a leader for the first time. Maybe your one of them. Perhaps we are all ONE of them.
As we ADVANCE, let’s continue to REMEMBER the ONE man in the Gloom who has shown up to a workout looking for what he needs. Fitness - Fellowship - Faith. What an incredible privilege it is to #engage #accelerate and #impact this man and our community together
Dark Helmet:
Men… I have pondered some over the last few hours about the entirety of this weekend… so much to think and reflect on, but as @slaughter and I discussed it on the way home, we can’t think of a single thing that could have gone much better than it did. We were all very blessed to be there and we thank you for being there with us. Truly a joyous weekend.
Slaughter:
I would be remiss if I didn’t add my thoughts on the 10-year. Was it flawlessly planned and attended by some of the most wonderful HIMs of the Nation? Yes. Did I hear and see stories that inspired me and let me know that we are doing the right things as a Nation? Was the End It Ruck all that? Ouch yeah! Yes. Does Cape Fear kick ass? Of course. But here’s what I woke up with…..blessed to be a part of the most significant movement of our time. Our men are amazing, and this celebration cemented our commitment to a world-changing future. Aye!
