Home to three U.S. Paralympic teams and a hub for athletes, veterans, and community members with disabilities or chronic health conditions, Lakeshore Foundation is a 45-acre adaptive fitness and rehabilitation campus in Birmingham, Alabama.
As one of the nation’s leading nonprofits in adaptive athletics, Lakeshore’s mission is to help people of all abilities live active, independent, and healthy lives. From wheelchair rugby and Boccia to youth therapeutic recreation, their impact reaches far beyond local borders, serving thousands of athletes each year across the U.S. and internationally.
But managing such a complex organization with dozens of programs, teams, events, and fundraising initiatives requires more than dedication. It demands technology that keeps everything moving with precision and care.
That’s where Daxko Club Automation comes in.
The challenge of managing complexity and scale
Running a world-class adaptive fitness facility isn’t just about what happens on the court or in the pool. It’s about managing memberships, tracking programs, and sustaining operations, all while raising funds to keep the mission alive.
Lakeshore faced the same challenge many nonprofits do: balancing high program complexity with limited administrative resources. With transportation costs, travel logistics, and specialized athlete support, every dollar and every minute counted.
“We have to watch our expenses, and the software, the programs, the systems that we invest in, our partners in those systems like Daxko, it’s very important to be understood. The longevity that Daxko has, and your ability to adapt to meet our needs, has been so important.”
Chris Thomason
Chief Advancement Officer, Lakeshore Foundation
Streamlining nonprofit fitness operations with Club Automation
Lakeshore needed a management solution that could handle everything from memberships to adaptive programs to donor engagement. Club Automation provided that foundation by bringing together operational efficiency, membership data, and financial management into one platform.
With Club Automation, Lakeshore’s team can:
- Manage memberships, program registrations, and billing from a single system
- Access real-time data on member participation and program performance
- Support donor engagement and reporting with better operational visibility
- Focus more time on expanding their mission rather than managing spreadsheets
“Yes, we’re using Club Automation right now and it’s very much meeting our needs. It’s a good program. It’s definitely evolved over the years. Since I was first introduced to it, Daxko has continued to evolve and offer a very good product.”
Chris Thomason
Chief Advancement Officer, Lakeshore Foundation
Driving impact beyond the facility
Lakeshore’s influence extends from its Birmingham campus to international competition stages. As a U.S. Olympic and paralympic training site, the foundation’s athletes have won medals in every Paralympics for over two decades and they’re preparing for even greater success at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Their sports science and performance center trained over 400 athletes in just the first 18 months, offering cutting-edge performance development for athletes of all abilities. Meanwhile, signature fundraising events like Grapes, Games & Gold continue to generate essential support and raise nearly $50,000 for the U.S. Boccia Team alone.
And through it all, Club Automation helps Lakeshore maintain operational clarity and efficiency, so staff can spend less time on manual processes and more time supporting athletes and programs.
“Our mission is to provide opportunities for people with disabilities and chronic health conditions to live healthy, active, independent lifestyles. We desire for people to thrive in their life. So, we are about accessibility and making sure that people have the opportunities to participate.”
Chris Thomason
Chief Advancement Officer, Lakeshore Foundation
Expanding access and shaping the future
Lakeshore continues to expand its impact: adding accessible trails, upgrading housing, and growing programs for youth and veterans. Their “Three for Three” campaign aims to raise $1 million per year for three years to support three Paralympic sports, ensuring continued excellence and accessibility for athletes at every level.
With Daxko as a long-term technology partner, Lakeshore is not only sustaining its mission but scaling it and proving how the right tools can power real-world change.
“We just opened the Sports Science and Performance Center that focuses on athletes with disabilities… but it serves athletes no matter their sport, whatever their ability. We’ve got G-League, college, and Paralympians all training here.”
Chris Thomason
Chief Advancement Officer, Lakeshore Foundation
Closing section: A mission powered by partnership
Technology alone doesn’t build community, but when paired with purpose, it becomes a force multiplier. For Lakeshore Foundation, Club Automation is more than software; it’s a partner in driving accessibility, inclusion, and performance on a global scale.
From streamlining operations to supporting the world’s top adaptive athletes, Lakeshore’s success proves one thing: when mission and technology align, impact has no limits.
Book a demo to streamline your club operations.