Rowvember: Xsolis and Fit Factory Nashville Support Gigi’s Playhouse

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has rippled across our lives and communities. While businesses, individuals and families have been impacted, considerable disruption has also occurred for non-profits and charities that rely on in-person gatherings to fundraise. Gigi’s Playhouse, an organization celebrating and creating awareness for children with Down syndrome, traditionally relies on donors and events such as Row for a Reason to keep its mission afloat. Row for a Reason brings CrossFitters and other athletes from all over the country together to row an individual half marathon or 4-person team half or full marathon in support of Gigi’s.

With the pandemic preventing large gatherings, 2020’s Row for a Reason was cancelled prior to its typical spring kickoff. Then in November, several XSOLIS colleagues, helmed by Chief Medical Officer Heather Bassett, formed their own rowing team to participate in a virtual “Rowvember” event hosted by local gym Fit Factory Nashville. ERGs churning, Director of Data Science Jason King, Director of Data Engineering Tim Leidig, Chief Operations Officer Chris Bayham and Clinical Operations Administrator Katy Ziebell, along with Dr. Bassett and compatriots from Fit Factory, netted a combined 591,483m as a crew during the month.

Never ones to stop short, Dr. Bassett and Fit Factory coach Samantha Seldon were able to pool funds raised by XSOLIS together with Fit Factory’s monthly charity donation to Gigi’s, pooling $2,600 for the kids of Gigi’s Playhouse. 

Heather Bassett, MD and Samantha Seldon in 2017

“Rowing tends to attract motivated and resilient people and team XSOLIS was no exception,” shared coach Seldon. “Their crew established and exceeded their goals both in meters rowed and in money donated. Special thanks to Dr. Bassett for spearheading the partnership. I loved working with team XSOLIS and look forward to Rowvember 2021!”

Learn how you can support Gigi’s Playhouse and its work of providing therapeutic-based, educational, career development, and family connections programming to individuals with Down syndrome.

Stay tuned: Dr. Bassett and the team plan for an even bigger splash in 2021…