Schools to swim for charity
Published: August 30, 2006
When the Huron and Pioneer high school swim and water polo teams dive into their respective pools Thursday night, their goals won’t be to train hard for their sports.
Instead, the schools plan to swim at least 100 miles each to raise money for others:
# Huron’s cause - 100 Miles For Snik’s Kids / Organ Transplant Center - will benefit a fund for the two young children of former University of Michigan swimmer and Club Wolverine coach Eric Namesnik, who died in a car accident last spring, and will benefit the Organ Transplant Center at the University of Michigan.
# Pioneer’s effort will benefit the Wellness Community of Southeast Michigan, an organization dedicated to helping cancer patients and their families.
One hundred percent of the proceeds will be donated. Huron girls swimming coach Jenni Wilkening, who swam with Namesnik along with her husband Rick and assistant coach Jennifer Zakrajsek, said her team was excited when she proposed the fund-raiser.
She expects 50-60 athletes, several of whom swam with Namesnik in club swimming, to participate at the Ratatorium from 9 p.m. to about 12:30 a.m.
“Our plan is to do it every year and honor Snik,” Wilkening said, adding that his family was thrilled to hear about the event.
At the same time Thursday, about 150 Pioneer athletes will spend the night at their high school’s pool pulling an all-night swimathon and sleepover. Wellness Community of Southeast Michigan director Katie Pelz-Davis will attend and give a speech.
Both schools also will treat their events as team-bonding experiences.
“I think the whole idea of kids coming together for something other than, me, me, me is just a nice sign of the times right now,” Pioneer assistant swimming coach Liz Hill said. “The kids in Ann Arbor, for the most part, have such an advantage over other places - great facilities, great parental support - and I think it’s great that they realize they have it so good and want to help others who maybe don’t have as much.’
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