Swimming for a Good Cause

With Events having been on hold for a little while with the virus response but looking to return very soon, now is a great time to look at how events can be used not just as a training ground, or even as a goal for your training but to help a great cause as well.

 

On November 23rd last year, we held our inaugural Swim 4 Plunket - an epic 12 hour swim event at Mairangi Bay Beach.

 

Swimmers could choose to swim a single mile, or swim 12 miles over the 12 hours or as many as they felt they could do - all to raise funds for one of New Zealand's most respected charities - Plunket!

There was a great mix of swimmers with different abilities, from the seasoned pros through to people just giving it a go for a good cause and all up we raised $2985 for Plunket services, helping to raise kiwi kids!

As we start to see the effects of closing down the country for a month really hit home, events like Swim 4 Plunket are a great way to help those in our community that could do with a hand while still celebrating swimming, getting people in the water and promoting your club or swim group.

And while the days are short and cold is the best time to start planning - event permissions can take a while, for this we had to work with the Coast Guard, Surf Life Saving, Mairangi Bay SLSC, Auckland Council and of course Plunket - there's always regulations and paperwork needed to keep people safe.

Early planning will also help you work out what equipment you'll need to physically run the event - for us there was not only tents for control purposes like registrations, we also needed to house a BBQ and make available a movable station that allowed swimmers doing the endurance event a chance to refuel, there's parking to consider, volunteer management and how to get community groups involved as well. A big event needs an army to get right after all.

Ultimately though it's all worth it - it's a lot of fun on the day, and you're helping your community by doing something that you love - and after everything we've been through this year, perhaps that is the biggest lesson for all of us - we can spread aroha by sharing what we love and helping others.

If you are considering a Charity Swim, why not get in touch?  We love to see people celebrating swimming after all and have a bit of experience.  Email us info@swimt3.co.nz

 

 


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