Supports Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Since 2004, Ontario Synchro Swim athletes have participated every October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in an event at their local club where they incorporate a common theme of keeping a candle burning within the pool for a minimum of one hour, in which swimmers hand off the torch in a relay format. The candle symbolizes keeping the flame alive for creating a future without breast cancer. In five years synchro athletes have raised over $177,000 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

On October 30, 2009 OSSC participated in the 6th Annual Burning Bright for Breast Cancer event. Thanks to the efforts of our Coordinator, Sharon Kerr and her volunteers, Irma LeBlanc and Helen Stamatiou, the event was a blazing success. OSSC athletes participated in relay races using pink ribbon balloons and pink batons for the hour dedicated to the event. The pool was decorated with pink balloons and many of the organizers, coaches and athletes wore pink to indicate their solidarity with the cause. After the relay races, athletes took turns showing off their best diving then retired from the pool to enjoy a delicious pink snack!

Our members kindly donated yummy pink cupcakes and drinks for our athletes. After the refreshments were enjoyed, Sharon Kerr announced that OSSC had raised over $3200 for the Canadian Breast Cancer foundation. Our top fundraiser this year was Kathaleen Carpenter who raised over $1100, second highest was Nora Mossman with $340 and Claire Caskey raised $305. Thanks to all our athletes for their support of this deserving cause. Photos of the event are available at http://tinyurl.com/osscburningbright