Barton, McCann, and Lummis of Team Maine Eye Center at last year’s event.
You never know when a spectator might get bitten by the competitive bug. Just ask a few employees from Maine Eye Center (MEC) – which now has two teams competing in this year’s REV3 sheJAMs All Women’s Olympic Triathlon in OOB on Aug. 24th, 2014.
While cheering on their co-workers Jennifer Lummis (swimmer), Maria Barton (biker), and Lisa McCann (runner) of Team Maine Eye Center last year, Robin Silva and Lucia Fernandez couldn’t help but get hooked.
“Last year when I came to support the team, I was so impressed with their enthusiasm and their athleticism,” says Silva, an ophthalmic technician at MEC. “The whole camaraderie was absolutely wonderful. I wanted to be a part of this beautiful event.”
Fernandez joined sheJAMs to begin her swim training. “I am in sheJAMs this year because I was inspired by my coworkers,” says Fernandez, clinical director at MEC. “I felt like – I want to do it. I want to feel good about the things I can do, for myself.”
So Silva (biker) and Fernandez (swimmer) recruited another co-worker, Renee Bundy (runner), to make up the second Maine Eye Center team called the Back Bay Babes.
Bundy, Fernandez, Silva of the second Maine Eye Center Team called Back Bay Babes acting out their roles for this year’s event
Lummis, Barton, and McCann will compete again as a team this year (Team Maine Eye Center).
Combined, the teams have already raised more than $1,000 for Women, Work, and Community, the sole beneficiary of this event.
“I think Women, Work, and Community is great,” said Silva “It’s very inspiring when Women, Work, and Community is supportive of new businesses and endeavors, and it is a great part of the Maine community.”
Fernandez was a past participant at Women, Work, and Community. “I had the opportunity to join a class and I think I learned a lot. It was absolutely great to know that there is a nonprofit that is supporting women. I think it’s excellent.”