Fundraisers Make A Splash At 36th Annual Carl Oake Rotary Swim
/Participants in the 36th annual Carl Oake Rotary Swim made a splash at the YMCA on Friday morning.
Former Easter Seals ambassador Mitchell McColl and Renee Oake at Friday’s swim. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Carl Oake started this event 36 years ago. He says he was inspired by the work the Easter Seals did because of his relatives. His mother’s twin sister contracted polio in the 1950s while a cousin of his was born with spina bifida - both physically debilitating diseases.
The donations gathered by the annual swim go to the Easter Seals - an organization that helps children, youth and young adults with physical disabilities. They also go to The Rotary Club of Peterborough.
As Oake chatted with friends and reporters at the swim, he dropped everything when Mitchell McColl came onto the pool deck.
McColl was the Easter Seals ambassador in 2012, and has attended the Carl Oake Swim every year since.
“That’s why we do it,” Oake said, gesturing to McColl.
T-shirts worn by participants feature a photo of Oake and McColl from the 2012 swim.
McColl and Oake on the pool deck. Photo by Angela O’Grady.
Presented by Baker Tilly, to date this event has fundraised $1.32 million for Easter Seals and Rotary Projects in the area.
“This is our largest fundraiser of the year,” said Wayne Harding, president of the Rotary Club. “With the $1.32 million we’ve done lot’s of great projects around the community over the years. We founded Camp Kawartha, we recently built a shade shelter in Rotary Park - if you walk around the community you’ll see lots of Rotary plaques.”
The Carl Oake Rotary Swim fundraising page will remain open to donations until March 11. To help them reach their goal of $45,000, click here.
