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Lots of Stuff Benefits LCATs |
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by Dan Veaner
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Friday, 25 May 2007 |
More than 20 families banded together Saturday to raise money for the Lansing Community Aquatics Team (LCAT) with a huge yard sale at the Lansing Elementary School parking lot. Furniture, clothes, sundries, and even kittens were for sale to raise money for the team. "Everybody donated something, whether it was baked goods or a box of books," says Amy O'Brien, whose three daughters swim on the team. " A couple of people brought in some miscellaneous items."
"Our purpose was to defray the costs of some of the pool rentals we have for the summer," says Melanie Towner, who has two boys in the club. Towner was one of the organizers and handled publicity for the sale. "We decided to have a garage sale to raise funds, but also to let people know about the club."
The LCAT team is a United States Swimming (USS) sanctioned club, led by certified coaches Reed Dewey and Bob Terry. The club is for boys and girls, many of whom end up on the Lansing Varsity swim teams. The club swims year 'round, with meets at home and around the state. Summer meets are scheduled through July this summer against Webster, Chenango Valley, Chenango Forks, Owego and Bath.
Swimmers practice three or four days a week, striving to beat their own times, and the club posts their statistics on the team Web site. "If they get to certain levels they get patches for their jackets, or they get a cap when they achieve certain levels," Towner says. "It's always do a little better, push ourselves a little better."
 Kittens were a big hit
The yard sale is the first fund raising event of its kind the club has held. Towner says the club often holds bake sales at meets to raise funds, but was looking for something else to help support the club. "This is a cooperative garage sale for the members of the LCAT swim team," she says. "Families have pulled together to get rid of some stuff at home and earn some funds for the swim team."
O'Brien's job at the sale was to collect the money. Many parents and families were there to sell their items, but all of the money was donated to the club. "It all goes back to the kids," she says. "One way or another those two coaches put everything back into the student. They're amazing."
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