Recently, we introduced you to INSPIRATION™, our Bluetooth Wireless® control system featuring BKSSL® Power of ‘e’ with Adjust-e-Lume® Nite Star™ and Power of C’s newly released Denali Series™ floodlights. Now we've been inspired to give back!

What do you push for? That’s the question B-K Lighting + TEKA Illumination will be encouraging participants from around the country to answer as they “push” against friends, family and co-workers to complete as many push-ups as they can in 90 seconds.

The event is part of the annual nationwide Pushups for Charity™ fundraising initiative, brainchild of the Boot Campaign™ organization, which kicks off on Armed Forces Day, May 21, and runs through Veterans Day, November 11, 2016. B-K Lighting + TEKA Illumination’s “Challenge Accepted” campaign has set a goal of raising $50,000!

Pushups For Charity™ increases awareness of the challenges military service members and veterans face, and raises money to support their unique needs. The annual campaign hopes to raise $1 million in 2016 through hundreds of Pushups For Charity™ events all summer long. Money raised will fund more than 500 individual grants to support veterans, service members and their families with housing, career and education expenses, and PTSD/TBI treatment, and are available to military families of all generations.

President of B-K Lighting + TEKA Illumination Nathan Sloan stated, “As long as we remember the men and women in uniform who have fought for our freedom to keep our homeland safe, the future will always be ours. I encourage you to get behind the “Challenge Accepted” Pushups For Charity, there’s no telling where it will end. Be part of the change and show us what you push for!” B-K Lighting + TEKA Illumination has pledged to match dollar for dollar up to $25,000. “We have no doubt that this campaign will be successful and we’re willing to put our money where our mouths are!”

Our outside sales team is throwing out the “Challenge Accepted” to all Sales Agents, their families, friends, co-workers and customers by territory. Karen Duffy, East Coast Regional Sales Manager feels confident her territory will surpass the West coast in donations. However, Tricia McGrath, West Coast Regional Sales Manager is challenging her contingency to outperform the East by 20%... or she will do pushups for 90 seconds.

Ryan Berrios, National Sales Manager for B-K Lighting + TEKA Illumination, acknowledged the healthy rivalry, “There is a heated competition going on between the East Coast and West Coast and I’m convinced they are determined to out-do each other. Be prepared to open your wallets wide to satisfy the rivalry between McGrath and Duffy.”

The challenge is simple! First, ACCEPT the challenge, easy right? Second, video you and/or your team doing your pushups (it doesn’t matter how many, we won’t judge) and POST to your social media accounts using #PushupsforCharity or send us your video and we’ll upload it! (). Third, and this is an important one, DONATE! We want everyone to support the cause. Whether you can do one pushup or 100, we want to support those service members and veterans. And finally, CHALLENGE! Yep, we want you to pay it forward. Challenge your friends, family and colleagues. We want to see what they push for!

The challenge begins and ends at home as B-K Lighting, TEKA Illumination, Star Finishes, Etendue Cafe and Blue Dolphin Design and Engineering employees have also accepted the challenge. Company-wide, employees will retain sponsorships which will culminate at the annual company picnic on Saturday, August 20 at Wonder Valley Ranch in Sanger, CA, where employees will make good on their 90 second “Challenge Accepted” Pushups for Charity™ commitment by doing pushups.

B-K Lighting + TEKA Illumination encourages everyone in the lighting industry to devote 90 seconds to make a life-changing impact on the lives of those who bravely serve our country. Be part of the change – and join us as we throw-down the “Challenge Accepted” Pushups for Charity to everyone!

Watch Karen and Tricia bring it!