4th Avenue Gym continues final push to raise money for local Yuma high schools

Justin Haile is helping raise money for the community

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - Justin Haile, the owner of 4th Avenue Gym and the creator of the 4th Avenue Gym Athletic Fund, is making a final fundraising push for the local Yuma high schools before the deadline at 8 p.m. on Christmas, but this year, there's a slight twist for the ninth annual fundraiser.

Unlike previous years, donors now have the chance to win a brand new Toyota Tacoma by entering a raffle, with all the proceeds going towards athletic equipment for the eight area high schools.

You can purchase one ticket for $20, or six tickets for $100 through this link.

A unique element of the fundraiser is that it is a competition between the schools, where the program that purchases the most tickets for the raffle gets an additional $5,000 in funding, which should act as a major incentive considering what Haile has provided for these schools in the past.

"We've done ice machines, we've done multiple scoreboards, uniforms, reverse osmosis systems, we've done PA systems for the football field, Haile said. "A really cool one was, a brand new wrestling mat for Antelope, and it was the first new wrestling mat they received in 31 years."

Haile loves giving back to the community and understands the importance of giving back, especially as a born-and-raised Yuman with ties to the education system.

"My mother was a school teacher, a lifelong school teacher. My mother-in-law is too, so I've always seen the lack of funding, and I've always just wanted to do the right thing and try to give back," Haile said.

And he has done an excellent job giving back, as Haile is on the precipice of the $500,000 dollar mark.

"I remember the first year I brought in $12,000 for the charity, and now to fast forward and we're hitting a half a million in 9 years, it's pretty remarkable," Haile said. "It's a huge accomplishment, especially for the schools."

The winner of the charity and the truck will be announced next Monday, December 29 around 1 p.m. on Haile's social media account.