Flatwater Foundation Announces 9th Annual Tyler’s Dam That Cancer Fundraising Event

AUSTIN, Texas – Flatwater Foundation is excited to announce the return of their annual fundraising event, TYLER’S Dam That Cancer, taking place on Monday, June 25, 2018. TYLER’S Dam That Cancer is the premier fundraising event for Flatwater Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides access to mental health services for those in need affected by cancer. Mark Garza, founder and executive director of Flatwater Foundation, created the event nine years ago to raise awareness for the importance of mental health support after experiencing the impact of his father’s Stage IV cancer diagnosis. Each year, TYLER’S Dam That Cancer invites participants to travel a 21-mile course from Mansfield Dam on Lake Austin to Tom Miller Dam (Hula Hut) on stand-up paddleboards. In 2017, TYLER’s Dam That Cancer raised over $650,000, and all proceeds from the event go to Flatwater Foundation to support families in need.

“We paddle on the water for 10 hours in the heat together to create a unity that is unique,” said Mark Garza, founder and executive director of Flatwater Foundation. “Our Flatwater Family comes together for not just this day, but the months leading up, to share stories and remind one another we are not alone in this battle. The mind is a powerful thing, and this remains true in the face of a cancer diagnosis.”

Tyler's Dam That Cancer 2017. | Photos via Tyler's Dam That Cancer

The public can get involved by providing a financial contribution to the paddlers participating in the 2018 TYLER’s Dam That Cancer event. This year’s TYLER’S Dam That Cancer paddler roster filled up in record time. The event will have 185 paddlers, all who pledged to raise a minimum of $2,500 in donations to paddle with the group through their individual and/or team fundraising pages at tylersdtc.com. The goal for the 2018 event is to raise over $700,000. Notable paddlers this year include the following:

• Case McCoy, former quarterback for the University of Texas Longhorns football team
• Brad Womack, a former contestant on The Bachelor
• Notable companies that are paddling: Chive TV, ONNIT, YETI, Kendra Scott, Blenders & Bowls

Sponsors play a key role in the event’s success, and Flatwater Foundation is excited to welcome back TYLER’S as the presenting sponsor; Hewlett Chevrolet & Volkswagen, Texas Oncology, Onnit, Rowing Dock, Hari Mari, YETI, Mann Eye Institute, Landshark Lager, and Quiksilver as returning sponsors; and Kendra Scott, Chameleon Cold-Brew, QALO, Live Soda, and SAXX as new sponsors. Thanks to the generous sponsors, all funds raised by paddlers and donors go directly toward providing access to both traditional and non-traditional methods of psychological counseling for families affected by cancer. New to 2018’s event, as part of TYLER’S Dam That Cancer’s partnership with Kendra Scott, the jewelry and lifestyle brand will be sponsoring a riverboat that donors can gain access to by contributing $200 or more to the 2018 campaign.

"It has been so impactful to see how the Flatwater Foundation lives out two of our core pillars — family and philanthropy — by providing mental health resources to families affected by cancer," said Kendra Scott, philanthropist and founder of Kendra Scott. “I am honored to support their mission by sponsoring [TYLER'S] Dam That Cancer.”

In addition to the money raised by the paddlers, TYLER’S Dam That Cancer will be supported by several lead-up fundraisers, including an event with YETI and the Dogwood Golf Classic at Twin Creeks Country Club. More information will be released about these events in May.

Tyler's Dam That Cancer 2017. | Photos via Tyler's Dam That Cancer

To celebrate the completion of the 21-mile course by the paddlers, TYLER’S Dam That Cancer will host their annual celebratory happy hour to welcome the paddlers to shore on the LCRA Lawn (3800 Lake Austin Blvd.), a tree-shaded waterfront environment along Tom Miller Dam and adjacent to Hula Hut. The party is from 6-8 p.m. on June 25, and the paddlers will arrive at the shore at approximately 5:30 p.m. The TYLER’S Dam That Cancer party is open to the public with a suggested donation, which can be made in advance online in support of any paddler or at the door.

At the event, guests will enjoy music from DJ Abe the Assassin on the Hewlett Stage, food from Texican Cafe, and beverages provided by Landshark, William Chris Vineyards, Live Soda, and Chameleon Cold Brew. Raffle prizes will include various vacation home packages, a custom Jarvis wood wakeboard, and much more.

For more information about attending and supporting TYLER’s Dam That Cancer, please visit tylersdtc.com.

About Flatwater Foundation:

FLATWATER FOUNDATION is an Austin-based nonprofit dedicated to providing those in the community diagnosed with cancer, as well as their families and loved ones, access to mental health therapy and family support. The Foundation’s approach combines access to traditional and nontraditional methods of psychological counseling while encouraging participation in exercise and outdoor activities as a means of providing balance and mental well-being. In addition to its annual fundraising stand-up paddle boarding event, TYLER’S Dam That Cancer, Flatwater Foundation produces other nontraditional events, partners with the fitness and health community, and builds relationships with the mental health community to break the stigma associated with mental health support and to ensure the awareness of the importance of mental health when coping with a diagnosis. Please visit www.flatwaterfoundation.org for additional information