ETSU football steps up fundraising efforts in Lift for Life event for Uplifting Athletes

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WCYB) — Over 20 years ago, Uplifting Athletes was founded to raise awareness of challenges some families might face with rare diseases - and those efforts reached Johnson City three years ago.

Since then, student-athletes have taken on the role of leading their teams to help raise money towards rare disease research.

In 2024 alone, a trio of football players, Noah Gravel, Cade Fleeman and Isaac Vance, have taken steps to get ETSU football in the mood of giving.

"ETSU football is here to have the city of Johnson City and East Tennessee be a part of this. It's a mission for us to take care of our people that come to our games, support us and just love us," said ETSU sophomore Gravel. "Having people help us on this mission means a lot to us since it's a world of change. And it can be a little change every day and bring a better world out there."

With the goal of raising over $2,000 this year, the football team came together for a Lift for Life event on Wednesday morning - where each maximum lift on the bench press and squat rack went towards rare disease research.

In the end, all of the money raised in its events is put toward the Young Investigator Draft. The draft selects 10 researchers with the chance to receive a $20,000 grant toward their rare disease research. Uplifting Athletes has held five drafts providing over $820,000 across 44 researchers.

Last week, the team brought families with rare diseases as one of their events - and after Wednesday's Lift for Life, there will be plenty more to come, which has opened the eyes of many.

"Seeing that kind of puts in perspective what's really important," said Science Hill alum and ETSU redshirt sophomore, Cade Fleeman. "It gives us purpose and allows us to really make a difference."

All in all, the ETSU chapter of Uplifting Athletes has raised $1,206 towards its $2,000 in 2024 so far - something they believe they will surpass and continue to raise each and every year.

For now, the athletes are taking it in and enjoying every moment of giving back.

It's always fun to do our maxes, but now it's for something bigger. It's not just for us but there's a lot more behind it," added Gravel. "When you're a college athlete, you get caught up in your routine and day-to-day life. It's all about you and your workouts and things. But when we have something like this, it gets you out of your routine. And I think it's good for the soul, it's good for everybody. You just realize that we can help and bring more to the table.