The Quesnel Waveriders Swim Club is hosting its first ever Swim-A-Thon from March 11-13 to raise funds for the running and travel costs of the organization.
Swim-A-Thon fundraisers were developed by the Swimming Canada organization as a sanctioned way for local clubs across the country to raise funds within their communities. The event sees athletes attempt to swim 200 lengths of the pool within two hours and raise either flat-out donations or donations per lap the athlete swims.
According to Swimming Canada, Swim-A-Thon events have raised over $4.5 million for clubs throughout Canada since 2012.
Waveriders coach Jerrit Brink says the Swim-A-Thon, along with the club’s pub night fundraiser and raffle, are hugely important to the success and survival of the non-profit club and its athletes.
“I’m telling you, in a small club like this, in a small town — it is vital,” said Brink. “I’m leaving tomorrow for the provincial championships on the Island, and travel costs just for that are around $700 in travel, plus the hotels, plus the food expense that the club allows. If we didn’t fundraise, we would be very restricted in where and when and how many events we would be able to go to. So even when we have kids, like we do, that qualify for provincials with fast times and get on the radar at the national level, we would still not be able to send them, or I wouldn’t be able to go along because of the expense and the fact that we are so far removed from the major hubs.”
The Waveriders set a fundraising goal of $7,000, and so far, they have already raised over $4,000, thanks to the efforts of their athletes and the generosity of the Quesnel community.
“We really appreciate them. I mean, if we didn’t have the community reaching out and being so giving and the members on the team and the pool staff and everyone who is so involved with it — as well as I’m sure with the other sports in town — it would be so difficult,” said Brink
If you would like to help the Waveriders reach their fundraising goal, find out more about the club or the Swim-A-Thon event, you can do so by visiting their social media pages and website or by emailing them at quesnelwaveriders@gmail.com.
READ MORE: Quesnel Waveriders make a splash in Kelowna
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