Each December, ROMP celebrates its community by hosting a fiesta, Panasewicz said. ROMP is hoping to capture some of the success they had during last year’s event—a virtual quinceañera, which raised more than $100,000, and marked a 300 percent increase in attendance and fundraising compared to previous years. An estimated 750 people and 80 pets from five countries and 44 states attended the 2020 event, Panasewicz said.
“Last year, ROMP was celebrating 15 years and it was only fitting we threw the biggest quinceañera possible,” she said. “Because of the pandemic, we transitioned [the event] to an online, virtual event and we were blown away by the response. This is truly something that would have never been possible in person.”
ROMP’s 2020 virtual quinceañera taught the nonprofit something it already knew, Panasewicz said: “That ROMP is a global organization.”
The 2021 virtual 90-minute program, Siguiente Nivel, which also coincides with International Day of Persons with Disabilities, will be filled with stories worldwide showcasing how ROMP is “upping its game” to create a world of mobility for those with amputations, Panasewicz said.
A silent auction began December 1. The virtual event on December 3 is free and begins at 8 p.m. CT.
“You don’t have to climb a volcano,” Panasewicz said. “You just have to come to our party.”
RSVP at give.rompglobal.org/levelup.
Watch live at https://vimeo.com/event/1609599/a5ec2a3ca2.
