In late September, communities throughout North Carolina were hit by one of the most damaging storms to hit the area, causing at least $53 billion in damages and recovery. Due to the destruction impacting swim programs across the state, it would have been easy to close and let families recover on their own, but as many swim families know, support in the swim community doesn’t stop when you walk off the pool deck.

In addition to the USA Swimming grant opportunities for clubs affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Asheville Jewish Community Center, and its neighboring clubs have worked tirelessly to provide opportunities for athletes to continue training and give back locally.

“The past couple months have been like living in the Twilight Zone,” Asheville Jewish Community Center Aquatic Director and head coach Wendy Lawrence said.

Communities throughout western North Carolina suffered damage to sewer systems and transportation, and many families were temporarily or permanently displaced.  

“We still aren’t all back together for practice, but I genuinely want to highlight the support we have received from our neighboring swim club Smoky Mountain Aquatic Club (SMAC),” Lawrence continued. “They have covered our cost (to rent pool space) and shared two lane rentals so we could bring 10 kids a day to practice.”

Coping with the aftermath of any natural disaster is challenging, but SMAC’s generosity and support prove what this sport values most: community.

Since October, coach Wendy, assistant coach Paula Coughlin, and parent volunteers have carpooled swimmers back and forth to practice with SMAC in Waynesville. The approximately 30-to-40-minute drive created its own set of challenges, including space and time restraints.

“What makes these trips back and forth from Waynesville so endearing is what happens prior to leaving for practice,” Lawrence said. “Many of the kids volunteer before leaving for practice. For two and a half weeks, we had a Fill for Flushing operation, where we loaded pool water into buckets so local community members could use the water to flush their toilets at home. We’ve pumped about 70,000 gallons for families, and our swim team athletes helped fill the water buckets and schlep them to people’s cars.”

Now, the JCC facility and the surrounding residential area have running non-potable water, so  the community doesn’t need to continue pumping water out of the JCC pool.

“Our kids have truly shown a heart for community and extreme resilience through all of this,” Lawrence continued. “These kids are our future first responders, teachers, political leaders, etc., and it gives me great pride to see them in action during these uncertain times.”

Being able to continue practicing throughout this difficult time gave the young athletes a sense of purpose and normalcy. Additionally, because of the opportunity to practice at the SMAC pool, 17 athletes ranging from seven to 14 years old could head to Huntersville for a meet at SwimMAC Carolina. Two of the athletes had never participated in a sanctioned swim meet before.

“These kids were rightfully nervous about competing in their first meet of the season,” Lawrence said. “I encouraged them to have fun and take a much-needed break from the mental and emotional roller-coaster we’ve all been on. Each swimmer exceeded my expectations! They all had personal bests and several qualified for the North Carolina Age Group Championships. I could not have asked for a better confidence booster for them, and I have no doubt their infectious optimism will infect our entire team once we all come back together.”

In late October, another opportunity for pool space opened with a local Asheville school, Blues Aquatics.

“Blues Aquatics started letting us use their facility after they opened up,” Lawrence said. “Now we are able to use the pool on the weekends to give another opportunity for our kids to swim. It was one of the first times I have been able to see more of our club swimmers since the hurricane.”

Seeing the devastation the hurricane left behind reinforced Lawrence’s passion for teaching kids how to swim. Not being a swimmer by trade, coach Wendy has had to learn the ins and outs of the sport over the years.

“There is no doubt I am super proud of our swim team,” Lawrence said. “But my greatest pride is the learn-to-swim program at the JCC. Prior to Hurricane Helene, we had approximately 175 kids in learn-to-swim classes. Respect, a strong foundation for water safety, and simply knowing how to swim can save lives. It will always be the ultimate personal best that I strive for out of any of my students or athletes.”

The support felt by JCC has not gone unnoticed as they wait for the state’s guidance on reopening.

“I want to let everyone know we are doing well,” Lawrence said. “Most importantly, I want to acknowledge and thank the support of USA Swimming, the North Carolina community, SMAC, and especially our kids!”

Do you know a club that is making an impact in their community? Let us know by emailing newstips@usaswimming.org.

Learn more about the Hurricane Relief Grants here.