Swim-A-Thon Fundraiser

Forms (PDF):

Sponsor Sheet

Pledge per Length Chart

Receipts

Tax Questions and Sample Letters:
page 1
page 2
page 3

5000 for time Information

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions:

Every year, Osseo boys and girls Swimmers and Divers participate in an Annual Fundraiser, a Swim-A-Thon, to raise money for big-ticket items for our pool. We hold it mid-July at the Osseo Junior High Pool and follow it up with a BBQ. Please keep checking the website for more information on this season's Swim-a-thon Fundraiser!

Swim-a-Thon ^âis a fundraiser in which participants earn money for their team by swimming lengths of the pool. Swimmers have a two-hour period to swim a maximum of 200 lengths. Participants get pledges from businesses, family, neighbors, etc. prior to swimming. Some choose to get pledges and money prior to swimming while others get pledges per length and collect the money following the Swim-a-Thon^â. With over 500 Swim-a-Thons^â conducted each year, this program has proven itself over and over again as a successful method of raising funds for teams.

The exciting benefits of this program are that Swim-a-Thon^âis not only an excellent fundraiser, but also an opportunity for teams to combine swimming and a social event. Additionally, Swim-a-Thon^âcan boost team spirit and increase community awareness of the team.

Since USA Swimming owns the Swim-a-Thon^â trademark, organizations must sign a contract agreeing to certain conditions regarding use of the term Swim-a-Thon^â, how a Swim-a-Thon^âis run, the collecting of donations, etc. Once a club completes the contract, USA Swimming supplies a detailed 30-page handbook that contains forms, promotional materials and all that is necessary for conducting a well-organized fund-raising event.
Swim-a-Thon ^â is the only pledge for length swimming program recognized by USA Swimming and USA Swimming insurance.

Swim-a-Thon^â is a registered trademark owned by USA Swimming. Holding a Swim-a-Thon^â without a contract would be a violation of this trademark. Any other type of swim for laps, lap-a-thon, etc. is also considered by the courts to be a violation of the registered Swim-a-Thon^â trademark.

Wish List:

~Aluminum Bleachers ($3000 for removal to clear space, $6000 for new bleachers)

~Sound/Speaker system with wireless microphone ($7,400.00)

~Diving board ($3,000)

~Training equipment (fins, hand paddles, pull buoys, mesh equipment bags)

Osseo Orioles Annual Swim-a-thon Fundraiser and Family BBQ

Our 4TH Annual Swim-A-Thon Fundraiser will be Saturday, July 17, 2010 from 10:00am-12:00pm at the OJH Pool! Please be dressed and on the pool deck ready for the team stretch at 9:45am.

Current Swimmers and Divers ~ GIRLS AND BOYS (grades 7-12), Prospective athletes, Alumni, Parents and Coaches may all participate! Swimmers will swim, and divers have a choice to swim or dive.
Each participant should have a goal to raise at least $200.

Participants should start getting pledges right away!
Be sure to ask each person making a contribution if their business/employer has a "matching gifts" program that would double the amount of their contribution! (They can get the form from their Human Resources person.) If they think they have this program, write down the name of the company they work for so we can follow up on that.

ALL CHECKS should be made payable to: OSSEO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL. (That way all donations will be considered 100% TAX DEDUCTABLE.)

There is a competition between the boys team and girls team to see who can raise the most money! Even if you do not reach your goal, anything you contribute will help your team in this competition.
We need everyone to participate! Ask friends and family, and go door to door if you feel comfortable. (Bring a teammate (or someone else) with you if you choose to go door to door.)

Recognition will be received for swimming 5000 for time (see link in left hand column) by USA Swimming. (We will also award an embroidered orange Osseo towel to the participant who completes the distance in the fastest amount of time.)

Awards: Every participant receives a certificate of participation.
Every participant who completes 100 or 200 lengths receives a Swim-a-thon Letterjacket Pin.
Top 3 participants, regardless of amount, will be awarded an embroidered orange Osseo towel.
For every individual participant who earns $500 or more there is also a tiered award system. The awards tier is:
$500-749.99 USA Swimming t-shirt
$750-999.99 USA Swimming towel
$1000.00 + USA Swimming bag

If you have all your money, you may bring it on the day of the Swim-a-thon, otherwise, ALL MONEY IS DUE by the First Day Of Practice for the Girls! That will also be the MAKE-UP DAY for those athletes who miss the original day! Come to the OJH pool at 3:00PM for the make-up opportunity on this day.

(More Swim-a-thon info (as well as links to the forms you need) are in the left hand column of this page.)

The Swim-a-thon will be followed by a FAMILY BBQ and VOLLEYBALL at the Lions Pavilion at the Maple Grove Community Center. (The BBQ is a teambuilding activity for all of the athletes and their families.)

We need a parent volunteer to head up the BBQ and make food assignments, get people to grill, someone to bring a volleyball, and someone who will be a contact for everyone to RSVP to. If you are able to do this, please contact Coach Marshall at marshall.abrahamson@gmail.com.

**There will a jar available for voluntary donations to help cover the cost of this BBQ.**

Article that appears in the Osseo-Maple Grove Press, in addition to other "community calenders" of the Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, and local radio and television stations:

Every summer the Osseo Orioles Swimming and Diving Teams make a big effort to raise money to update the OJH Pool. We have gotten some great signs and banners put up, a new scoreboard, a record board, and this year we want to purchase new aluminum bleachers!

Because the district has had to make budget cuts (again), it is up to the team and the community if we want to see the OJH pool updated and classed up with these improvements.

This is the fundraiser the OSH teams focus on to raise the majority of the money we need to earn. We would like to maximize the outcome of this fundraiser as much as possible.

If you work for (or own) a company that can "match" the funds raised by an athlete in this fundraiser or just want to donate money to our projects (which would be 100% Tax-Deductable) you can be recognized as an Official Sponsor in our meet programs, on our website, or the signs we put up at the pool. Please contact our Fundraising Chair, or a Head Coach, as soon as possible. Also, please pass this info along to anyone else you think may be able to help us out.

Thanks for your support of the Osseo Swimming and Diving Program.

2009 Donations:

Sonderby Family: $1000.00
Pending: $Display/Trophy case donated by Eagle Scout Brian Newberry, his troop, and by OJH

2008 Donations:

$2000.00 Banner donated by Reimer Brothers and CR Signs & Graphic Center in Osseo
$540.00 Banner donated by OJH
$1900.00 from OSH alumni
$1000.00 from the Osseo Lions
$1000.00 from the Hockey Association
$750.00 from the Maple Grove Lions
$200.00 from Alumni Jeff Joseph
$100.00 from NHCP Swim Club

Osseo Boys and Girls Swimmers and Divers Funds Raised:

2009 Swim-a-thon $Raised: $2766.00

2008 Swim-a-thon $Raised: $4100.70
2008 Cub Foods $Raised: $972.21