The 12 Hour Ripple Effect will take place at Echuca War Memorial Aquatic Centre on Friday, July 10, from 6am to 6pm.
Pool Ezy marketing co-ordinator Hannah Fletcher said the initiative aimed to support people living with dementia and their families.
“The Pool Ezy team, along with some other local community members, will be swimming for 12 hours straight from 6am to 6pm in order to raise funds for Dementia Australia,” Ms Fletcher said.
“Our whole team, we have a team of 18 at Pool Ezy, and every single one of us will be getting in to swim at least one lap.”
The event will feature participants from various local organisations.
“We will have a few representatives from Echuca Meats coming to swim, as well as a couple of, hopefully some ERH nurses, and some other people as well,” Ms Fletcher said.
“I think we are getting some of the local footy clubs involved, as well as the swim club.”
Ms Fletcher explained the personal motivation behind choosing dementia as their cause.
“There is not much publicity about dementia,” she said.
“It is a bit of a hidden illness.
“We have quite a few team members here who have direct family experience with dementia and have seen firsthand how hard it is on people.
“It affects all family members, but mainly mothers, because dementia is mostly prevalent in women, especially over the age of 65 and there is not much support out there for it.”
The team has set an ambitious fundraising target.
“Our goal is to raise $5000 for Dementia Australia,” Ms Fletcher said.
“Last year we experienced raising funds for the Cancer Council, and we raised $2000, so we wanted to double it and a bit more for a cause that is a bit closer to our hearts.”
The event will offer multiple ways for the community to participate and donate.
“We will have opportunities for anyone who wants to come; they can make a donation and they can get in the swimming pool and do laps themselves,” Ms Fletcher said.
“We will have other options where you can donate and challenge our swimmers to do an extra lap or to do a lap extra fast, that sort of thing.”
Additional activities will include breakfast and lunch barbecues, with the inflatables on the pool for the day for the kids.
To donate, visit fundraising.dementia.org.au/sponsor and search ‘Pool Ezy’.
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