The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation’s Sports Matter Program recently donated $10,000 to the Apopka Run Club (ARC) to support local high school students in need.  

“Our intentions are to use these funds to help local students who may not have the ability to participate in school related running sports such as track and field and cross country due to financial difficulty,” ARC president Jay Kleinrichert said in an email to The Apopka Chief. 

ARC formally announced the donation Tuesday at its regular club meetup. According to the grant proposal, ARC has three objectives for the grant: financial assistance, resource support and community engagement. To implement these objectives, ARC will work with school athletic staff to identify students in need, organize fundraising activities, and more. 

Kleinrichert founded ARC in 2020. The club meets four times weekly and has over 1,900 members. According to the ARC website, courses range from 1.97 to 8.85 miles. 

“Beyond our commitment to fitness, ARC is deeply invested in giving back to the community,” Kleinrichert said. “From organizing road cleanups to fundraising for local organizations, we strive to make a positive impact. This year, we achieved 501(c)3 nonprofit status, which has opened new opportunities to expand our reach and deepen our contributions to the community.” 

According to Kleinrichert, this dedication to uplifting the community introduced the club to the “pressing need” for sports funding at local high schools. 

“Through our community involvement, we’ve identified a pressing need to support local student athletes,” Kleinrichert said. “Many families in our area face financial challenges that make it difficult for students to participate in athletic programs. Expenses such as sports fees, equipment costs, and other related expenses can be significant barriers.” 

One club member, Peter Megna, is a district manager for DICK’S Sporting Goods. Megna joined the club after Kleinrichert “accosted” him on a bridge during a run, urging him to participate. 

“He’s like, ‘I see you out here running all the time — you need to join my run club,’” Megna said. “[I] avoided him for about two to three weeks before I finally joined and went out and met with them. Now, some of my best friends ever are in that club.” 

After ARC became a 501(c)3, Megna said Kleinrichert could apply for a grant from Sports Matter. 

“We raise, on average, from customers, probably around $5 million dollars a year,” Megna said. “And then our company matches that.” 

Megna said people often ask him if DICK’S can sponsor their organizations, but he does not make those decisions. He did, however, recommend Kleinrichert’s application to DICK’S executive leadership. 

“I am personally a part of this organization,” Megna said, describing what his recommendation note said. “I run with them every week. I would love to be able to help make sure that they get some sort of recognition.” 

Megna said he loves the opportunities sports provide for children to build close friendships, develop discipline, and learn life lessons. 

“I think every kid deserves a chance to play some sort of sport,” Megna said. “At the end of the day, we’re trying to really help build the building blocks for kids to become better humans later on in life.”