Latest news with #BobBarber
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Official, participants speak on final Barber Beast on the Bay
An Erie staple that has drawn thousands of people from far and wide will be coming to an end. The Barber Beast on the Bay will be having their final competition this year. Organizers are choosing to leave a 'lasting positive legacy' by concluding the event at what they're calling its peak. Organizers of the popular Barber Beast on the Bay announced that the extreme 10-mile race will be taking its final obstacle. Slaying the beast — Beast on the Bay announces 2025 event will be its last The event has taken place over the last 12 years along the beaches and trails of Presque Isle in the late summer or early fall to raise money for Barber National Institute. Participants and supporters first received word of this bittersweet news Tuesday afternoon from a Facebook post. Senior Vice President Bob Barber said there have been internal changes within the institute and it was a difficult organizational decision. 'The beast has run its course. Every event has a life cycle and we just felt like now is the right time for us to run our final year of the Beast on the Bay,' said Bob Barber, senior vice president of the Barber National Institute. 'Anything that's going on in either local politics or state politics or at the federal level, none of what's going on at those levels impacted this decision.' Erie brewery preparing for tariffs on aluminum The event is one of the largest fundraisers for the institute, having raised more than $830,000 over the years. As for how the institute plans to best fill this gap, Barber said the organization is still evaluating, but they plan to keep what they said is the most meaningful part. 'The adaptive course is going to continue. We want to continue to have an event for children and adults with intellectual disabilities and autism and so we're going to continue to do that,' Barber said. Participants we talked to said the Beast on the Bay has become an iconic Erie event and the personal challenge will be missed. Sensitive documents spill along West 8th St. during Bel-Aire demolition 'It's 10 miles on sand which I always said was the toughest obstacle was running on sand,' said Kate Thiem, a Beast on the Bay participant. 'I think the last year they had 30 obstacles and very reliant on your upper body strength and people didn't realize that until they got on the course.' 'It was so much fun, it was just do and finish, that was our goal and we did by the hair of our teeth and by the cramps in our hamstrings,' said Julie Lokahi, another Beast on the Bay participant. 'It's been a great experience. To see everybody that has come through and again all walks of life to be able to say 'You've got elite athletes' and you've got your moms and dad that just compete to finish.' Both Thiem and Lokahi are disappointed to see it go, but understand the organization's decision. 'The Barber Institute is such an iconic institute in Erie, it's been around for years and years, decades from when I was young and so to be able to compete in something like that is so top of mind in the community has been incredible and I hope that they have something bigger and better to come up with for their fundraising in the future,' Lohaki said. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'It took a village to make this event happen. So I know that it's been difficult post-COVID to get a lot of people to volunteer but hopefully, this is going to maybe encourage some people to step forward and say 'Hey I don't want to see this event end,'' Thiem went on to say. The 12th and final Beast on the Bay will take place on September 6. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Barbers National Institute hosts Beast and Brews fundraiser event
A sizable bar crowd made their way to the Brewerie at Union Station to raise a beer for a good night was the Beast and Brews event hosted by the Barber National Institute in what you might call the fundraiser for the fundraiser. Erie County Council considering ordinance on official social media The festivities featured multiple guest bartenders in competition to raise tips and donations to help offset the costs of putting on the Beast on the Bay obstacle course. Organizers said the Beast on the Bay raises funds while bringing people together. Tracy Elementary unveils new book vending machine 'It's something that draws people from all over the country, I think we have 26 states represented, and there is a large representation from right here in Erie County,' said Bob Barber, senior vice president of the Barber National Institute. The Beast on the Bay obstacle course takes place every September on the beaches of Presque Isle. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
