Article by Peter Reimer, Sports Information and Promotions Coordinator, Royal Military College of Canada
Naval Cadet Joel Charpentier, left, and Officer Cadet Liam Chambers, right, during their push for 6000 pull-ups.
Kingston, Ont. (February 18, 2021) – At the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC), Officer Cadet Liam Chambers and Naval Cadet Joel Charpentier organized and participated in a pull-up challenge—to complete 3,000 pull-ups each within 24 hours—to raise funds for Soldier On.
“I thought we could bring some hope and inspiration to our military team, which I think we accomplished,” Chambers said.
After starting their pull-ups at 8:00 AM on Wednesday from Charpentier’s garage in Kingston, the pair accomplished their goal in under 20 hours, putting their final pull-ups on the board at 3:50 AM on Thursday, with $5,081 raised.
While their 3,000 pull-ups temporarily put them in the spotlight, Chambers and Charpentier hope their feat helps raise awareness for Soldier On and the work they do with ill and injured veterans and members of the CAF.
“I know how important and how difficult it must be for members who are struggling to not feel alone in these solitary times,” Chambers said. “This is the backbone or our organization: we are never alone, and we never give up on each other.”
Their tremendous effort has definitely paid off, with hundreds of people having tuned in throughout the live-stream on Facebook. The pair easily exceeded their original goal of $3,000, as the final fundraising total surpassed the $5,000 mark in the late stages of the event.
Although the task was a battle, both mental and physical, Chambers said finishing the challenge was never in doubt.
“We always knew we could finish,” he said. “We had the grit to succeed, but it was hard. And there were dark times throughout, which were obvious on the live-stream, but nothing lasts forever, especially if you just continue to march forward.”
Chambers and Charpentier showed their perseverance into the early hours of Thursday morning, each completing their 3000 pull-ups. Despite sore hands, arms, and general exhaustion, the two cadets are certain another Soldier On challenge is somewhere on the horizon.
“Every dollar we raise is worth it,” Chambers said. “Every CAF member, retired or serving, who is struggling, mentally and physically, is worth it.”
Congratulations to both Liam and Joel. I seem to remember that when I was a cadet in the late 1970’s, you had to get 17 chinups to get 100% on that portion of the PF test. I also understand that candidates on the basic parachute course had to do only seven chinups. So to complete 6,000 in the space of 24 hours is truly remarkable.
Well done you guys ! You have made a very important contribution to supporting a worthy cause, and we are all very proud of your efforts.
Who can stop ole RMC? Well done Gents. Spirit, endurance, community, heart-warming and inspirational. Another outstanding example of why RMC is the best institution in the world at developing future leaders.