Plenty of swimmers and their families came out to support the second annual Swim for Kids event Saturday morning at Kingston`s Lake Ontario Park.
“You know you’re making a difference by just doing like a little act like swimming,” said 14-year-old participant Edward Major.
Swim for Kids is an event that supports disabled children, which Edward understands firsthand. He has cerebral palsy; the right side of his body is completely paralyzed. But that doesn’t stop him from doing what he loves most — swimming. He especially enjoyed swimming at Swim for Kids.
“I feel relaxed because I know that nobody’s going to judge me by my time or anything,” added Edward.
“As a parent of a child with a physical disability, it’s always nice to do an event where there’s no judgement,” said Edward’s mom Claudia.
Edward also swims competitively at a national level representing Kingston in the Sports for Disabled team.
“He’s a dedicated athlete and he proved it today,” says Vicki Keith, Edward’s coach and organizer of Swim for Kids.
The event brought together swimmers from local and competitive teams, aged from from 13 to 67, to help raise money for Easter Seals and the YMCA.
“This year we have a great contingent, especially from some of the local swim clubs and that was really exciting. So we’re just going to keep on growing and getting stronger, and faster and better,” said Keith.
The organizers had hoped to raise $30,000, but they beat that goal and raised over $40,000.
Comments