Makino Aquatic Centre’s Big Swim Success for June
The ‘Big Swim’ was a big success! Over the month of June, registered swimmers utilised the Makino Aquatic Centre (MAC) to swim lengths raising funds and awareness for Coastguard Tautiaki Moana, Aotearoa New Zealand’s primary maritime search and rescue organisation.
The event, which ran throughout the month, encouraged swimmers to dive in for a good cause. At the Makino Aquatic Centre, an estimated 100 swim sessions were booked as part of the initiative. Participants who raised $100 or more were rewarded with free access to the pool, and many took the opportunity to praise the centre’s facilities and staff.
Manawatū District Council (MDC) staff participated in The Big Swim. The swim team included Richard Dowers, Frances Smorti, Axel Malecki, Maree Pritchard, Andrew Leighton, and Estelle de Beer. Together, they not only swam nearly 100 km but also reached their fundraising goal of $800.
Aquatic Services Manager Aimee Flanders says the centre was proud to support such a vital cause. “We’re so happy with how many people took up the opportunity to take part in The Big Swim,” she said. “It’s great to see our community getting involved in something that promotes both water safety and fundraising for an important service. We’d love to host it again in the future.”
One unexpected benefit of The Big Swim was that it encouraged swimmers to try out new facilities. “We welcomed a number of swimmers from outside the Feilding area who chose to swim at the MAC, even though their usual pools were still available. Their feedback for our facility was highly complementary and we look forward to welcome them as more regular swimmers at the Makino”, Flanders explains.”
Nationally, over 2,500 swimmers took part in the challenge, helping raise a staggering $657,784 for Coastguard by the end of June. Coastguard Tautiaki Moana relies on over 2,000 volunteers stationed across 63 locations nationwide. In the past year alone, these volunteers responded to more than 2,800 incidents, assisted over 7,000 people, and handled upwards of 200,000 radio calls.
The funds raised through The Big Swim will support Coastguard’s continued efforts to keep people safe on the water whether by offering marine education, aiding with stranded vessels, or carrying out life-saving rescues.
By joining the effort, the Makino Aquatic Centre and its swimmers are playing a key role in helping New Zealanders enjoy the country’s lakes, rivers, and coastlines safely and with confidence.
A lane swimmer glides through the water at the Makino Aquatic Centre’s indoor pool.