Donations - Keep the Games Alive
As Country Joe and The Fish once sung and many of our Kingdom Swimmers have asked, "One, Two, Three, What are we fightin' for?"
This year, IROC, our wonderful, community rec center, (with its Healthy Changes Initiative for people with chronic conditions) went through foreclosure. As we write, it is locked up and dark. But a serious effort is underway to buy it back. The growing success of the summer games has been and remains one of the keys to sustainability if the facility is re-purchased and run as a rec center.
With your help and support, we are committed to "Keep the Games Alive" (a valuable goal in its own right) and so that we can show potential "investors" that the games can continue to help support operations of our rec center in the future -- if it can be bought back from the bank.
The Northeast Kingdom of Vermont is the poorest, most economically challenged, and most beautiful area of Vermont.
Its lakes are the stuff of legends. Its dandelion fields in High Spring support a great half marathon on the back roads of Derby, Morgan, and Holland. Our five-day Tour de Kingdom draws riders from around the country, and our radical, even-up, Aquaman and Ollie Triathlons (as part of Kingdom Triathlon) send a clear message to the more typical triathlons: Stop your discrimination against swimmers! The Summer Games have value in and of themselves. Your donations support the continuation of running, biking, swimming and kayaking events in this incredible venue.
But, we have high levels of unemployment, poverty, obesity, diabetes, smoking, and heart disease. Our rec center had some great programs that addressed these issues. A vibrant summer series of running, biking, swimming, and kayaking can support some great causes in this area. Your support can demonstrate to prospective buyers that a rec center is financially viable and sustainable even in this rural area of Vermont.
So, we ask you. Help us in this hour to "Keep the Games Alive" and to "Keep Hope Alive - for the buy-back of our community rec center." Every dollar donated moves us closer to one or both of these goals.
IROC, Inc. is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non profit corporation. These donations are tax deductible.
So yes, we are fightin' for our lives up here on the border. Every donation helps us keep doing what we are doing. Your support means a lot. Every bit makes a HUGE difference.
To all of our NEKOWSA supporters, we thank you for all that you have done not just to support a rec center in northern Vermont, but also to expand open water swimming in our area. This will be our fifth season. And we have grown from one day of swimming to eleven days throughout the summer. Would not have happened without your enthusiastic support.
It is our honor to open our lakes to a great group of swimmers.
Phil White, Race Director
Kingdom Swim 2013