KCCC in 2020

Bake cookies.

Go for a bike ride.

20 in 2020 Challenge

Founded in 1980, the 2020 season of the Kansas City Corporate Challenge (KCCC) was the 41st of the nation’s oldest corporate games. On Friday, March 13, 2020, the Games were officially canceled due to COVID-19. Involving a participant base of more than double that of the Olympics, many employers, sponsors, volunteers, and athletes throughout the entire KC Metro were filled with disappointment. With over 33,000 individuals gearing up for three months of competition, the KCCC staff and Board of Directors were faced with their very own challenge: how can we still provide our competitors with a very welcome distraction, a fun competition, and some healthy engagement during this unprecedented time?

The 20 in 2020 Challenge was developed as a virtual competition in which KCCC participants could complete a minimum of 20 activities and challenges in order to earn a gold medal.

Participants could choose from over 60 different activities each categorized among the three pillars of KCCC’s mission: health, wellness, and camaraderie. Activities ranged from completing a 5K to reading a book to mailing a greeting card to a friend. Additionally, participants could utilize a “wildcard” option in which they could determine the activity. Participants documented the completion of each task through photos that were then submitted to the KCCC Office.

An unexpected silver lining to the cancellation of the Games and the formation of the 20 in 2020 Challenge was the opportunity for KCCC staff and the Board of Directors to get to know their participants in a truly unique manner. Every submission was reviewed in full by the Executive Director, before then being made available to the Board of Directors. This allowed for names to finally be put with faces and to learn that the familiar face seen year-after-year at the track meet, was also an incredible baker and cookie decorator. The KCCC season is one that many look forward to throughout the year as an escape from the board room and an opportunity to do something so uniquely engaging with their coworkers. The cancellation of the 2020 season was an added layer of disappointment for many professionals that were already experiencing the taxing effects the pandemic had brought upon their workplace. Many pleaded that KCCC was needed now more than ever. Throughout the two and a half months that the 20 in 2020 Challenge was offered, nearly 300 participants joined in the fun. A drive-thru victory parade was held in July at the Theater in the Park of Shawnee Mission Park for each medalist to retrieve their hardware and celebrate their achievements.

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame

On Sunday, November 15, 2020, Kansas City Corporate Challenge was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame at a ceremony held at the HyVee Arena in Kansas City.

Other Hall of Famers of the 2020 Class included former Kansas City Sports Broadcaster, Jack Harry; philanthropist and former baseball player, Jack Talley; athletic trainer, Bud Epps; and NFL football player, Josh Freeman. KCCC originally applied for enshrinement as part of its 40th anniversary celebration in 2019, but because the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, based in Springfield, Missouri, rotates its annual enshrinement ceremony between Columbia, Mo., St. Louis, and Kansas City, the decision was made to postpone KCCC’s induction until 2020, when the event was scheduled back in Kansas City. “We are very excited; and of course, very honored,” said KCCC Executive Director, Lacey Fisher. “Our induction class had some great athletes, coaches, and other programs. Just being at this event, we were sitting beside (former KC Royal) Alex Gordon, (former Kansas City Chief) Curlie Culp, (President & CEO of Win for KC) Kathy Nelson, and (Kansas City Chiefs KC Wolf Mascot) Dan Meers. Those are some powerhouses, so it was pretty humbling to be amongst them.” To those that know and love KCCC, ranking among these other notable inductees came as no surprise. For over 40 years, KCCC has promoted its mission of health, wellness, and camaraderie throughout the Kansas City business community. KCCC remains the nation’s oldest and largest corporate games. More than 30,000 participants and 250 companies take part in this program each year; a number far greater than the Winter and Summer Olympics combined. Since it began in 1980 as a one-weekend event with 18 companies, officials estimate more than 500,000 individuals and approximately 7,000 different companies have taken part in KCCC. “We consistently welcome feedback and Games suggestions and value those offered by our participants: these are their Games, after all,” Fisher said. “With the volunteers, Board of Directors, Ambassadors, staff and others that assist in the administration of the Games – the sky’s the limit.”

#KCCCBigReveal

KCCC is excited to welcome PNC Bank as the Presenting Sponsor of the Games!

PNC Bank has been a proud supporter and competitor of KCCC for over 25 years. To celebrate the announcement of their elevated commitment to KCCC, a virtual scavenger hunt was hosted in October of 2020. Scavenger hunt clues were revealed on the KCCC Facebook page and led participants to various locations throughout Kansas City. Locations included Science City, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, ArtsKC, and the National WWI Museum and Memorial. Once the location had been found, participants would take a selfie and upload to Facebook with #KCCCBigReveal. The final clue of the scavenger hunt led participants to PNC Plaza, located in downtown Kansas City, where KCCC staff were waiting with gold medals and swag.