The Saints Nation Swim and Run hosted at the Main Windsor Campus this summer brought together 75 participants, some as young as three and even some, 50-years-plus.
Members of the SRC Food Bank, Saints Nation Swim and Run race co-chairs, and the College's Alumni Association gather for a cheque presentation on Nov. 12, 2024. (Rishi Vatish/St. Clair College)
And while their athletic endeavours may have been the focus of that day in August, the spotlight is now on how much money they collectively raised.
On Monday, Nov. 11, The entire Harnden family - who participated in the event, along with Run co-chairs Dave Orshinsky and Jared Stewart presented a cheque for $3,200 to the Student Representative Council to buy much needed supplies for its Food Bank.
"An event like the Swim & Run allows participants the opportunity for some athletic fun, but also allows for assisting with the ongoing need to help students in emergency need for food," said Orshinsky.
If you speak to anyone who operates a food bank in Windsor-Essex, the need right now is great. Rishi Vatish, the SRC President, said the number of bi-weekly visitors to the food bank is always on the rise, creating a supply crunch.
"The SRC Food Bank is an especially important and well-utilized service for our students. While we wish it was something we didn't need to offer, the reality is that for some students, money is tight," said Vaitsh. "Thanks to the organizers and participants of Saints Nation Swim and Run, this donation will go a long way to ensure our pantry is full of essential items, which we can go out and hand-pick so patrons of the SRC Food Bank have what they need at their fingertips."
Joining the team for the cheque presentation were Brendon Seguin and Tristan Bouchat, the presenting sponsors from The St. Clair College Alumni Association.
"We were thrilled with the turnout for our first annual event," Orshinsky said, noting the date for next year's event is already set for Aug. 10, 2025. "Mark your calendars for next year's event. If you don't want to do both the swim and run, find a partner, and do the event as a relay."
Registration for next summer's event will open on December 1, 2024, on Race Roster at https://raceroster.com/events/2025/97287/saints-nation-swim-and-run.
