Bishop O’Connell’s swim team lived up to its motto, “We swim, and we serve,” by hosting a swim-a-thon Jan. 2 at Oakmont Rec Center in Oakton to benefit Special Olympics Area 26 of Northern Virginia.
Swim team members, alumni, coaches and Special Olympians helped raise more than $17,500, exceeding their initial goal. “We had so many participating and helping out, everything went very well again this year, and it was so much fun,” said event organizer Alysia Desbiens. “We raised so much money, and we had less time to put everything together this year. Together, we are creating inclusive communities and empowering individuals to thrive.”
The swimmers were divided into nine different teams, all including Special Olympians, with each participant swimming 5,000 yards, or 200 lengths of the pool.
The next swim-a-thon is scheduled for the first weekend of January 2027.
