Los Altos team raises more than $10K for pool

The Los Altos-based Covington Critters Swim Team surpassed its fundraising goal, raising more than $10,300 in contributions for the Los Altos community pool project at a swim-a-thon July 25 at Mountain View High School.

Swimming a combined total of 4,450 laps (64.2 miles), the members and coaches of the team generated donations through per-lap pledges and cash gifts.

“I’m so proud of the team for stepping up and going over the goal amount we set to earn that afternoon. Everyone did such a great job,” said Critters coach Ali Desmond. “The swim-a-thon was a great way for the kids to be involved in raising money for the new pool in Los Altos.”

Top fundraisers were Los Altos residents Casey Charlton, Emily Macway, Priscilla Min and Karen Thornton, and Los Altos Hills residents the Grant Family Team (father Steve and sons Dylan and Tyler).

Distance champions were Los Altos residents Sarah Hessen-Schmidt and Jessie Ho, who each swam 232 laps.

The Covington Critters Swim Team was founded 41 years ago and currently boasts 261 swimmers. The team’s home was the Covington School swimming pool until that facility closed in 2001. Since then, the team has called itself “Homeless But Still Dangerous” and has used a variety of area pools for its practices and meets.

A Los Altos community pool is being funded, developed and built by the Los Altos Community Pool Foundation, a 501(c)3 community benefit organization. It will be located in Rosita Park, adjacent to Covington School, and is scheduled to open in late 2008.

For more information about the swim team, visit www.covingtoncritters.com.

For more information about the community pool, visit www.losaltoscommunitypool.org.

©Los Altos Town Crier 2007. Link to original story here.