We have received our first online donation!!!!

So what is the big deal?  Well, we are happy that the system works!

Everything we do is from the contributions of time and effort of our volunteers!  Our web page is donated and personally supported by Sumie Emory & family and with her own time and effort.  So as we enter into the age of electronic contributions we continue to welcome donations of:

 

·        Gently used competitive swim suits, (practice suit, fastskin, Speedo, Nike, TYR, Dolphin, Splish, Uglie, etc.);

·        Rubber fins, shoe type;

·        Other swim equipment including pull buoys, kick boards, hand paddles, etc;

·        We have also had several student coaches and summer NVSL teams organize equipment drives, and collect monetary donations for which we are grateful!

 

We also continue to appreciate your volunteer time, to coach, to help on deck, officiate for meets, to create brochures, publicity material and all the many behind-the-scene tasks that running a non-profit corporation of this kind requires.  We really could use some professional expertise in publishing, writing and communications! Help! Help! :)

Despite the enthusiasm, the smiling faces and all of the encouragement I continually receive from the community, our volunteers and others, dollars remain important!  I believe every swimmer deserves the proper attire and equipment so funds are required to buy the suits, to rent the awesome pool, and to maintain our outreach.  In the past year many things have been accomplished and achieved.  For example we:

 

·        placed the largest amount of families, as full members, in pools affiliated with the Northern Virginia Swim League then ever before;

·        sent 3 swimmers to the University of Virginia Swim Camp to experience a college environment and a higher level of competitive swimming;

·        for the 3^rd year teamed up with the Fairfax County Parks Authority by donating suits and equipment for approximately 30 children from Bailey's Elementary School to participate in a fabulous learn to swim program;

·        provided used suits, caps and other equipment to families participating in USA Swimming's Make A Splash program;   

·        sent new and used suits together with a used but reliable timing system to an town in Maine where the average income is $15,000 per year and swim meets were started with a whistle; and

·        continue to field calls from around the country regarding our program and sharing how a "Nadar Por Vida" like effort could happen anywhere in the United States.

 

In this short time we have grown to over 50 swimmers a practice affecting almost 150 kids during the past academic year!  I am deeply grateful to the many families and friends who have encouraged me and our Board to continue our efforts.  This year we hope to expand our practice from an hour and a half to 2 full hours!  This year I will continue to travel to schools, community centers and any place in our community where we can attract kids who would otherwise not know how to swim.

 

Thanks to everyone for all you have done to get us so far in such a short time!  I am grateful to our parents of swimmers and volunteers for all they do!  Our overhead is small but our hearts are large! Help us continue to affect lives one bubble at a time as we enter into our 6th year!

 

 

 

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