PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Swim With Mike, the nation's preeminent organization providing financial resources for physically challenged athletes' advanced education, announced its live-streamed virtual 40th Anniversary celebration will debut at 4:00 pm (PDT) on April 10, 2021, via YouTube. Campaign Directors from across the country have been encouraged to "do virtually anything" they can to get sponsored for their fundraising efforts this year. The virtual celebration will showcase select campaigns and live music, surprise guests, candid interviews, comedy, a world premiere sneak peek at the Swim With Mike feature documentary, and some very important Swim With Mike program announcements. This year also debuts the first-ever 40x40 event, where 1976 Olympic Gold Medal swimmer John Naber, will lead 40 top fundraising swimmers composed of Olympians, World-elite athletes, and swim enthusiasts in a relay for up to 40 minutes each. The socially distanced swim will occur at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center in Pasadena, at 360 North Arroyo Blvd. in Pasadena on April 3, 2021, from 6:00 am—8:00 pm (PDT), with highlights featured during the live-streamed virtual celebration.
“I’m fully committed to making this 40th Anniversary something everybody will remember, we have put together an absolutely amazing show that is not to be missed!” shared Executive Director, Ron Orr.
Swim With Mike was born in 1981 out of a tragic motorcycle accident that left Mike Nyeholt, a three-time All American USC swimmer, paralyzed. Originally held as a swim-a-thon fundraiser, the event was conceived and spearheaded by Mike's lifelong friend and swim teammate, Ron Orr. He, along with friends, teammates, and family, intended to purchase an appropriately equipped van for Mike to continue his professional career and adapt to his new life. After quickly surpassing the goal, the event's success led to a visionary decision to establish Swim With Mike; the USC Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund. Since 1981, the organization's mission has been to provide financial resources for advanced education. These resources allow physically challenged athletes from across the nation to help overcome their tragedies by realizing their full potential. Today, 40 years later, teammates and friends, along with hundreds of dedicated volunteers, swimmers, sponsors, campaign directors, and donors, have raised over $25 million. Swim With Mike has supported 253 scholarship recipients at 131 universities nationwide. Over 200 alumni recipients have led rich, fulfilling lives as doctors, lawyers, engineers, actors, social workers, accountants, and teachers. Everyone can find a link to the live stream event, as well as ways to support Swim With Mike's mission at https://linktr.ee/swimwithmike
About Swim With Mike
The Swim With Mike Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides financial resources for the advanced education of physically challenged athletes to overcome their tragedies and realize their full potential. We are a family of volunteers, athletes, sponsors, and donors that can be found in nearly every state and across the globe. We have raised millions of dollars for hundreds of athletes across the country and we’re just getting started. Join us. www.swimwithmikefoundation.org