Last year, a friend invited me to attend the Aquathon at Fremont High School. It is a fundraiser for
Abilities United, giving everyone the opportunity to "champion the abilities in disabilities" by swimming in 30-minute relays to raise money, just like running laps or walking miles.
This year, the Aquathon takes place on September 9, from 1:00pm to 5:00pm. Form a team, attend the relays, donate, fundraise, and join in this community and team building event.
In 2011, some of the adult teams were Amber's Crew, Sue Nommi's Speedos,
Cisco Bommarito Barracudas, Cisco Newcombe Nukes,
Intel Innovators B,
NVIDIA B, Team FRB, and
WebOracle. The Family/Kids Teams were Amber's Hope, BWSC Rec,
BWSC Rehab, Intuit Otters A, Logan
YMCA, 10 Stars, and NVIDIA A. These teams were spaced across 14 lanes of the
California Sports Center of the
Sunnyvale Swim Complex at
Fremont High School in Sunnyvale.
Attending the Aquathon was the
San Jose Sharks Hockey Team's mascot:
Sharkie, who swam with the swimmers in the pool.
The atmosphere is fun, with lots of people in the pool swimming for their teams, and lots of people cheering on from the sidelines. In the end, awards are given to those who swam the most laps - really a time to appreciate all who came out for this event to raise money for those who truly need our community support.
All ages participate, and all ages receive awards. The general feeling and atmosphere is one of goodwill, generosity, and enjoyment.
For the totals on who received awards, visit
Abilities United here.
Visit Stanford University's list of
SF Bay Area Adaptive Recreational Resources here.