Peters Township Swim Club raising funds for the American Cancer Society
It is always important to give back to the community, no matter the age or gender – and if the event or fundraiser unites everyone together, as is the case of USA Swimming’s Swim-A-Thon, then all the better. Unity is a message that has always been stressed in the Peters Township Swim Club, and a Swim For Life Swim-A-Thon achieves that message perfectly.
Sponsored by Huntington Learning Center, Equipment Corporation of America, The Pilates Body, The Frog N Princess, B & R Pools and Swim Shop, and Mertens Dental Associates, PTSC’s first ever Swim For Life Swim-A-Thon will be hosted at the Peters Township High School Natatorium on Oct. 17.
However, unlike the traditional Swim-A-Thon where donated funds are used by the swim team, the creator of the Peters Township’s Swim-A-Thon, Jake Rose, decided to help save lives by donating funds to the American Cancer Society instead.
“I chose to donate the proceeds to the American Cancer Society because cancer has touched all of our lives in one way or another. We all know people who have suffered from cancer – whether the person is a relative, friend, neighbor or coworker,” Rose said.
To achieve the Swim-A-Thon’s goal of $8,000, swimmers will receive pledges and donations from family members, friends, neighbors and local businesses. The goal is for each participant to swim two hundred laps within two hours, which may seem like a challenge especially for the younger swimmers, but the Swim For Life Swim-A-Thon is structured with food, prizes, relays and other games in between swims. A tremendous aspect of the event is that it will unite all five age-differentiated groups (ages 5-18) of the Peters Township Swim Club in order to accomplish a common goal, which is something that has never been done before.
“I thought that this would be a great way to go about starting a new tradition where our team can get together, have some fun and also give back to our community and society,” Rose said.
While non-Peters Swim Club swimmers cannot participate due to safety reasons, everyone is able to donate via the Peters Township Swim Club website (PTSC.org) and clicking on the Swim For Life Swim-A-Thon logo.
For more information, email fundraising@ptsc.org.
Stephanie Wang is a sophomore at Peters Township High School.