Swim 2008 for MSAA

Swim 2008 offers an alternative perspective on a typical fundraising activity for all swimming enthusiasts, including individuals, groups or swim club members. The funds you raise through your supporters helps to enrich the quality of life for people affected by multiple sclerosis in your community.  Register your interest today!

There are three ways to incorporate your interest in Swimming to help MSAA.

• Participate, as an individual challenge either one-time swim (no target distance or time) or
• An individual target swim using a pool where you set a personal challenge to meet a set distance (or time), or 
• As a club or group challenge, a traditional activity, see below for more information

Volunteer service hours are available to all registrants, information will be emailed to you following your registration.

One other way to get involved, is to visit the personal webpages of those participating - sign their guest books to encourage them and make a gift to support their Swim 2008 for MS

Swimming and Multiple Sclerosis

There is a clear connection between your Swim 2008 for MS to the use of swimming pools as therapy for the MS community:  both are fun and can be productive. Exercising in water tends to stretch your muscles while encouraging a larger range of movement. Aqua-therapy is ideal for this type of workout, held in pools kept approximately 85 degrees or below to avoid fatigue from warmer water.

We seek your volunteer service in organizing a Swim 2008 for MS event with the support of your local swim club or community pool. If you would rather help as a participant, please speak to others at your local pool club to see if they will become the volunteer organizer of a Swim 2008 for MS event, or simply register as an individual for a one-time swim.

Swim 2008 - "How-to" guide for Swim Clubs and Groups

MSAA has created this easy to follow how-to guide to be used as a framework for swim clubs and groups to organize a Swim 2008 for MS event.

• The first step to plan your activity is to discuss your plans with the club officials and pool management to secure any necessary permissions.
• Select a date for the event. This could be during a swim club practice evening when the pool is less crowded.
• Ask all the lifeguards if they will participate or attend.
• Invite the other pool members to participate in and/or attend the event to cheer the swimmers along.
• A Swim 2008 for MS can be limited to a specific number of lengths/laps.  Pledges can be sought based on the total number of lengths/laps by all club members, making this a true team effort; or pledges may be sought based on individual performance.
• Form an event committee of 3-4 people, including a committee member of the swim club or pool. Assign specific tasks to each member of the event committee focusing on specific functions of the activity, such as:
  Fundraising
  Registration
  Marketing and promotion
  Coordination with pool club

Coordination of Your Volunteers

Identify the responsibilities of volunteers at your event and develop a recruitment plan:

• Send a letter/email to all swim club members asking for adult parent volunteers to help with the event.
• Have them indicate what they would like to do - work at registration, collect permission slips, and/or count pledges.
• Consider creating name tags for all volunteers.
• Do not assign volunteers to specific tasks without first finding out what jobs they have done in the past or enjoy doing.  This will keep them interested and attentive to tasks.
• Explain clearly what their volunteer assignment entails, including the time you expect they will need to commit.
• Be sure that they have all materials and instructions that they need from you to begin their tasks, and check volunteers on a regular basis to make sure they have all the tools they need to complete them.

Marketing and Promotion, including media outreach

Develop a straightforward marketing strategy to carry out a successful event:

• Consider contacting the local media with details for your event, including name, date, and location. MSAA will post this information on the MSAA event calendar and provide additional support when necessary to help you promote your event to your members and supporters.
• Always remember to advertise the event at the pool club where the event is taking place.
• Develop and produce a cover letter explaining the purpose and reason for the Swim 2008 for MS.
• Include information sheets on MS (available in advance from MSAA) in your media outreach, as well as at the event.
• Develop and produce permission forms for participant swimmers.
• Develop and produce sponsor sheets and envelopes.
• Provide a large, labeled envelope for each swimmer to collect permission and pledge forms.
• Note: MSAA can also assist with collecting pledges online.
• Process the participants into a database or list to be printed out for the registration table at the event.
• Coordinate the collection of the pledge envelopes and donations within 4 weeks of the event.

General Timeline
1 months before:
Contact pool and swim club officials to seek permission

3 week before:
Hold volunteer committee meeting
Contact MSAA with location and date of Swim 2008 for MS
Develop flyers and/or brochures
Contact lifeguards; the safety of your swimmers is very important
Hand out information to swim-club members
Request parent and student volunteers
Contact local media
Post flyers at pool
Meet with volunteers

In the last 3 days before:
Collect permission and pledge forms

Day of event:
Set up tables
Meet with volunteers
Have a safe event!

4 weeks after the event:
Ensure all pledges have been collected and accounted. Checks and money orders should be made payable to either "Multiple Sclerosis Association of America" or "MSAA".

Please send to

Swim 2008 for MS
Multiple Sclerosis Association of America
706 Haddonfield Road
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002

Questions, please contact MSAA at (800) 532-7667, ext 117 or email our director of national volunteer services at mfriend@msassociation.org

Register your interest today!

Other related links
Strike For MS
Step Out Three-Legged-Thon
Mini Golf Tournament