Penguins Aquatic Club, “Kingston Y Penguins Give-Back” – Kingston, Ontario
The Kingston Y Penguins is a competitive swim team designed to allow children with physical disabilities, and their able-bodied siblings, to find pride and success through achievement. The program provides a place where young people can explore their abilities and find within themselves the confidence to pursue their goals and the capacity to develop the skills that will help them see the many possibilities for their future.
The annual 24-hour relay is one of the Y Penguins’ favourite ways to raise funds. Over the years, they have swum together, supported each other, and raised funds to ensure the program is accessible to everyone. Each year, during the 24-hour relay, the young people in the program raise between $8,000 and $10,000. But this is only half of the story. It’s a sleep-over, a party, a chance to be with friends for children who are often left out of these experiences at school.
In the summer of 2014, the Y Penguins set a world record by swimming the greatest distance in open water by an eight-person relay team in 24 hours. Over the last 14 years, Y Penguin members have raised over $600,000.