YWCA Flying Fish

2012 Swim Marathon

 

January 21st through January 30th   

 

It’s time for our 18th Annual YWCA Flying Fish Swim Marathon! Each year, Flying Fish swimmers raise money to help operate the swim team, its pool and all the other programs taking place at the pool and the YWCA by participating in the swim marathon.  These funds help the YWCA to:

·         continue to provide healthy aquatic programming through the purchase of special equipment and supplies used by swimmers

·         offer swim scholarships to those who could not otherwise afford the cost of learning to swim or team participation

·         keep our swim team season dues at a reasonable rate – much lower than many other youth sports or other swim teams in the area

·         support the women and children in our domestic violence services programs

·         bring violence prevention programming to schools in our community

By helping to enhance our swim program and support families in need, money raised is reinvested in our children, families and community.

 

How the marathon works

During the marathon, each Flying Fish swimmer swims as many lengths as possible in a one hour period (Greenfish 30 minutes). Coaches have already started working with their groups on longer swims in order to prepare them. Swimmers solicit sponsors for each length they swim, and win prizes based on how much they raise. Here’s what you need to do now:

 

1.      Solicit sponsors: Over the next several weeks, the object is to get as many sponsors as you can to pledge an amount per length swum (20 cents, 50 cents etc…) or a flat amount ($25, $50 etc…). Pledge sheets with an estimate of how many lengths your swimmer might complete in their marathon will be in your folders by the end of this week. Pledging an amount per length can be a great motivator! Based on the amount of money raised, each swimmer will earn the prizes/team equipment listed below.

a.      Do it the easy way and register for Friends Asking Friends: With Friends Asking Friends, you can easily create your own personal webpage (most of it is already done for you!) and email friends and family directly to ask them to sponsor you. You can set your own fundraising goals and track who has sponsored you too. Plus, your webpage already has some pictures you can use as well as our swim marathon video. We’ve even created some email templates you can use to ask people for their support. Here’s what you do:

                                                                                      i.      Click on this link (or go to www.ywca.org/flyingfishswimmarathon) to get to the Friends Asking Friends page for the Flying Fish Swim Marathon

                                                                                    ii.      Click “Register.” If you are the only Flying Fish swimmer in your family, click “join as an individual.” If there is more than one swimmer in your family, you have a couple of options about how to register.

                                                                                  iii.      Once you’ve registered, you’ll be given easy instructions about what to do next to create your personal webpage and start fundraising. Explore! It’s easy. You can email potential supporters directly from the site and/or use Facebook or Twitter to solicit support (links to both appear below the tabs on your headquarters (HQ).

                                                                                  iv.      Your personal webpage will be set up already with text and images, but you may change them. You can switch the default photo (of our pool) to another photo OR you can choose the video of the swim marathon produced by Flying Fish parent, master swimmer and film maker Andres Lombana (thank you, Andres!).

                                                                                    v.      Let us know if you have any questions. Thanks!

b.      Of course, you can still knock and neighbors doors and ask your teachers to sponsor you. Bring your pledge form with you to school and walk the neighborhood – using Friends Asking Friends gives you another option, but you can do both too (or one or the other)!

2.      Sign up for a time to swim: Review the schedule for your group and stop by the YWCA to sign up for your swim before spaces start filling up. Each group has several options throughout the week, but be sure to note the location of your swim – the YWCA or the JCC.

Please note: There will be several practice changes throughout this period. A modified practice schedule will be available on our website soon.

 

Team goal!

Last year the team raised over $98,000. Let’s see if we can raise $100,000 this year! This leaves us with quite a challenge, which I am confident we can meet if we get quality participation from everyone on the team. So let’s get to practice to prepare for the swim and start getting pledges to meet the goal!

 

Prizes

Amount Raised           Prize(s)

$75                              Cap or Bungee Goggle Strap

$150                            Team T-Shirt or Team Shorts and above level

$300                            Ice Skating/Pizza Party and above levels

$450                            Team Sweat Pants or Flannel Pants and above levels

$550                            Bowling Party and above levels        

$700                            Team Bag or Team Jacket and above levels

$850                            All prizes shown!

 

Good luck with your swim!