Hercules! Hercules!

We think about superheroes as musclebound men and women parading around in spandex underwear, rescuing the innocent from wrongdoing at the hands of diabolical villains. But true heroes are more subtle. Instead of skull-cracking baddies to a soundtrack of thwacks and boffs, they’re giving our children safe environments to live...

By John Linn

January 6, 2011

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We think about superheroes as musclebound men and women parading around in spandex underwear, rescuing the innocent from wrongdoing at the hands of diabolical villains. But true heroes are more subtle. Instead of skull-cracking baddies to a soundtrack of thwacks and boffs, they’re giving our children safe environments to live in. Rather than swooping down from the sky and incinerating foes with their x-ray vision, they’re zapping drug addiction and restoring families.

Those are the goals of Lifting Hands, a group of modern-day superheroes whose powers are promoting healthy living through fitness. Oh, they have Herculean strength too — a gift they’ll display Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. at the inaugural Bench Press Benefit at D.C. Alexander Park (501 Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale). There, on the sandy dunes of Fort Lauderdale beach, a stage will be erected to showcase the strength of charity lifters who will pump iron for cash. While the athletes get their swole on, onlookers can make pledges that will go toward helping improve local children’s lives — or just marvel at all the chiseled pecs. All the thrusting and straining will continue until Lifting Hands reaches its colossal goal of 100,000 pounds.

For more information on how you can make like a real-life comic-book hero, call 954-529-8978, or visit liftinghands.org.
Sat., Jan. 8, noon, 2011

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