ATLANTA, Ga. – A Georgia nonprofit organization made its presence known on the playing field over Labor Day weekend to highlight a critical issue: human sex trafficking.
They call themselves “MOST,” which stands for Men Opposing Sex Trafficking. Starting at 8 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 29, in Fairburn, Ga., members played kickball continuously, aiming to break the Guinness World Record for the “longest marathon playing kickball.” Their tireless efforts lasted 52 hours straight, during which they successfully raised over $200,000.
This kickball marathon isn’t a first for “MOST”; the organization had previously set world records for the longest softball and basketball games. However, this occasion marked their debut as a co-ed team, with 13 women joining 27 men.
Bruce Deel, CEO and founder of MOST, explains that breaking world records helps capture public attention, making their message more accessible to a broad audience.
“Our ultimate aim is to raise awareness about the pervasive issue of sex trafficking and equip everyday individuals with the tools to combat it. Over the past 12 months, as we’ve become recognized for these challenging physical feats, public interest has surged, allowing us to raise over $800,000 to advance our primary mission.”
Following their achievements of breaking the Guinness World Records for the longest marathon softball game last September and the longest continuous basketball game in March, each lasting 121 consecutive hours, Men Opposing Sex Trafficking (MOST) once again set their sights on the record books, aiming to surpass the 51-hour mark for the world’s longest marathon kickball game at Landmark Christian School in Fairburn, Georgia.
The 40 kickball players volunteered their time to support the nonprofit and its mission.
To be certified by the Guinness Book of World Records, the game could be played with a maximum of 26 players on each team. Ten defenders had to be on the field at all times. MOST had 20 players on each squad with the teams playing in short shifts throughout the day, then alternating longer shifts overnight to allow for sleeping.
Learn more about MOST here.
