SHS Swimmers Will “Swim for Haiti”

On Tuesday, February 2, three weeks to the day after an earthquake struck Port-au-Prince at 4:53 pm, Staples Swimming and the Westport Weston Family Y Water Rat Swim Team will “Swim for Haiti” to raise money for Save the Children’s relief efforts. The fundraising event will take place at the same time at both Staples High School and the Westport Weston Family Y.

The Staples Boys Swimming & Diving Team will Swim for Haiti during their regular practice time, 2:30 pm. Members of the Boys Water Polo Team, Girls Swimming & Diving Team and Girls Water Polo Team are invited to participate. Click to download an information packet.

Boys Swimming tri-captain Cameron Bruce and captain’s mom Linda Bruce are the contact people for the Staples Swim for Haiti. Swimmers should use a contributor sheet (which is part of the information packet) to record donations. Contributor sheets may be turned in during Swim for Haiti or at practice. But all contributor sheets and checks are due no later than practice on Thursday, February 4, 2010. The next day Staples Swimming will deliver the money to Save the Children.

Twenty-one days after the earthquake has symbolic significance. More than half of Haiti’s population is under the age of 21. Children are at particular risk in the weeks ahead, which is why Staples Swimming and the Westport Weston Family Y have decided to support Westport-based Save the Children.

Peggy Mevs, the mother of Staples swimmer Gabby Wimer, was born in Port-au-Prince. She has family members who were affected by the earthquake, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives. Following the quake, Ms.Mevs feverishly tried to contact her family to no avail. Then at 2:00 AM she received this e-mail from one of her cousins:

Thanks Peggy,

There are no phone working except for CDMA provider Haitel. It has been the most unreal day in my whole life. The Montana Hotel and the Villa Creole Hotel has collapsed. Almost everything is destroyed.

The family is ok.

One niece with broken legs. Walked almost two hours to get home to my kids. Took me five to locate my wife. We are all together and fine. My brother in law’s parent lost their house and kid nephew buried in it. We lost our gardner buried under a wall.

So on… So much casualty…

You got the ideas.

Are sleeping on the lawn at friends.

Cannot get to my house.

A collapsed building is blocking the road.

Thanks for asking.

Gregory

Ms. Mevs received one more message from Gregory before his Blackberry battery died.

Haitians need as much help as they can get and they need it as soon as they can get it. That is why all of the Staples Swimming coaches and captains hope we can count on your support as we raise money for Haitian relief.