It’s amazing what kids can accomplish when given an incentive. And when that incentive means they can help their fellow young people, do something they enjoy, and have a little fun with one of the adults in their lives? So much the better.
That’s what the novice swim team at the Birmingham Y did recently. Their coach, JD Prince, challenged them to raise $75 each for the Strong Kids Campaign. Anyone who did, he told them, could hit him and his fellow coaches in the face with a pie. If they raised $1,000 as a team, they could have a pizza party.
Swimmers are not a group to shy away from a challenge, and this group of kids not only met the goal, they pretty much demolished it. All told, they raised $2,500 for the Strong Kids Campaign. And one swimmer, Kyra Beauregard, raised $800 all on her own.
The team raised the money by swimming laps; people could either pledge per lap or just give money to their swimmer. All of the team members are new to being on the swim team; many came from Y swimming lessons and joined the team to try out competitive swimming.
Aquatics director Robin Coapman says they’re still trying to figure out what reward to give the team for doing so well with their fundraising, but she’s proud of their hard work in helping other kids whose families might struggle to afford a membership to have all the benefits of joining the Y. Who knows, maybe next year one of those kids might be throwing a pie.
