The USA Swimming Foundation announced that NOVA of Virginia Aquatics (Richmond, Va.) is the 2017 Swim-a-Thon^TM Contest Grand Prize winner. NOVA of Virginia Aquatics raised $116,039 during their annual Swim-a-Thon and will receive a personal club visit from Olympian and 2017 Swim-a-Thon Ambassador Katie Meili. The team will also receive one year of free licensing fees from Swim-a-Thon’s online fundraising partner, TeamUnify.

Swim-a-Thon is an in-pool fundraiser where participants earn money by swimming lengths of the pool. NOVA of Virginia Aquatics raised more than $116,000 by engaging their swimmers with food trucks, event t-shirts, contests, prizes and other on-site activities. During the 2017 Swim-a-Thon year, more than 38,000 swimmers participated from 558 clubs across the country raising over $7 million. From that total, the USA Swimming Foundation will receive $355,405 to serve its mission to save lives and build champions.

“NOVA swimmers feel empowered and proud to make an impact through our annual Swim-a-Thon,” Executive Director of NOVA Aquatics Ann McGee said. “It is a great way to involve our swimmers in making a difference for our club and the USA Swimming Foundation.”

In addition to the Grand Prize, NOVA of Virginia Aquatics will receive the Gold Medal prize package, along with the three other Gold Medal winners: Seward Tsunami Swim Club (Seward, Alaska), High Tides Swim Club (Hutchinson, Minn.), and Hillsboro Swim Team (Hill, Ore.). Gold Medal winners earned the most points in the four Swim-a-Thon size categories during the Swim-a-Thon Contest timeframe. Each of the Swim-a-Thon Gold Medal winners receive a prize package consisting of a customized Deck Pass Patch, a pizza party celebration and a $200 Visa gift card from TeamUnify.

As it kicks off the 2018 season, the USA Swimming Foundation is excited to announce Jacob Pebley as the 2018 Swim-a-Thon Ambassador. A member of the 2016 Olympic Swim Team, Pebley finished fifth in the 200-meter backstroke in Rio and took home the bronze at the 2017 FINA World Championships. Clubs that complete their Swim-a-Thon by the end of November 2018 will be entered to win a visit from the Olympian.

The yearly Swim-a-Thon event is a fun and easy way for teams to raise money and help the USA Swimming Foundation. Athletes participating in Swim-a-Thon fundraisers can earn participation and incentive prizes from the USA Swimming Foundation, including Swim-a-Thon sunglasses, Swim-a-Thon 24 oz. insulated water bottles, Swim-a-Thon hooded long-sleeve shirts and a Swim-a-Thon inflatable couch. Plus, qualified teams are automatically entered in the annual, nationwide Swim-a-Thon Contest!