MALVERN, PA — More than 100 members of the Chester Valley Swim Team volunteered this week to teach swimming fundamentals and water safety to children from the Dorothy Day Center while raising more than $600 for a nonprofit that promotes youth philanthropy through athletics.
The July 7 event was organized through a partnership between Sow Good Now, the Chester Valley Swim Team and the Dorothy Day Center at St. Agnes Church. Student-athlete Patrick Barry led the effort, recruiting teammates to provide hands-on instruction in basic swimming techniques and water safety skills.
Volunteers taught participants how to properly wear goggles, float on their backs and perform freestyle swimming while reinforcing water safety practices designed to build confidence in and around the water.
Barry also organized a fundraising campaign that generated more than $600 for Sow Good Now, a nonprofit that encourages student-athletes to engage in community service through sports.
Lisa Bice, educational support program coordinator at St. Agnes Church, said many of the children served by the Dorothy Day Center come from immigrant families where swimming is less common.
“The majority of the children that we serve are from working families that have immigrated to PA from other countries where it is uncommon to know how to swim,” Bice said. “The opportunity to swim is so important for children’s development, especially for those who may not have access to outdoor activities in the summer due to childcare arrangements. It also helps them to make friends and gain English confidence and proficiency.”
According to Sow Good Now, the program paired student-athletes with local children to provide instruction that extended beyond swimming by promoting mentorship, teamwork and community engagement.
The event was part of the nonprofit’s GiveBack initiative, which partners high school and college athletic teams with youth-serving organizations to combine community service with sports-based mentoring.
Sow Good Now is a nonprofit organization that works with student-athletes to support youth in underserved communities through volunteer service and philanthropic initiatives. Additional information is available at sowgoodnow.org.
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