Get to know the legends swimming in this Friday’s 24 Hour Swim for autism charity, Ocean Heroes
This Friday sees the fourth edition of the Revo Fitness 24 Hour Swim for Ocean Heroes – a massive fundraising event for the legends at Ocean Heroes.
Running at Scarborough Beach Pool from 4pm this Friday, 240 members of the community will voluntarily take to the pool in 20 teams (of 12), where they will swim, relay-style, for the entire 24 hour period, continuously! The overall goal for this year’s event is $175,000, which will help Ocean Heroes continue to run free events for neurodiverse kids in 2024.
To get you in the spirit, we thought we’d help you get to know the teams swimming – which you can, along with donating, below:
Team Name: Ocean Heroes’ Surf Experiences Gromenators
Who are we?
We are a team made of Ocean Heroes Surf Experience Coaches and some of our participants and families (as well as the free events program, during the week Ocean Heroes run 60 minute, one on one Surf Experience sessions, that participants can access funding for through NDIS – more here).
Why you should donate to our team:
Supporting our participants and families to swim this year will help support others access the program in the future.
Donate to the Gromenators HERE.
Team Name: Mission Swimpossible!
Who are we?
Our team came together through our team captain, who has worked as a private support worker in Perth with individuals with ASD, and who is also involved as a group leader in Ability Gym’s Big Day Out program (Ability Gym is an inclusive physical activity program that provides a positive exercise and sports environment for people with disabilities). We are a motley crew of open water enthusiasts and family friends – a ragtag bunch brought together by our shared love for the ocean (and the heroes within it!)
Why should you donate to our team?
ASD is hugely misunderstood and underrepresented in the community and Ocean Heroes are doing amazing things to raise awareness and provide unique experiences to individuals with Autism, our goal is to support them in anyway we can! For every $5 donated, you will go in the draw to win a stay at the Indian Ocean Hotel in Scarborough, Yelo Cafe, Bunnings voucher and Gage Roads beers.
Donate to Mission Swimpossible! HERE.
Team Name: Scarborough Beach Swim Club (and Friends)
Who are we?
We are a motley crew of past and present, has and “has been” (!) swimmers. This is our third year swimming this amazing event. We all love swimming and love the Ocean Heroes cause. We have a former Olympian (Deane Pieters – 1992 Barcelona Olympics) in our team! Plus 2014 Rotto Swim Champion – Paul Laver, Port To Pub 25km Champion and Record Holder – Josie Page, and gun pool and open water swimmers Byron Kimber, Gareth Evans, Liv Smith, James Lewin, Ash Glover, Jem Horwood, Loen Musca. We currently hold the record for the most distance swum and look to better the record again for a third year in a row.
Why should you donate to our team?
We are pushing the more you donate, the faster we will go and swim further for this amazing cause.
Donate to Scarborough Beach Swim Club HERE.
Team Name: Churchlands Dolphins
Who are we ? (answered by teacher Amanda)
The team is made up of 12 kids from the swim team at Churchlands. This is the third year in a row that Churchlands Senior High School has represented and fundraised for Ocean Heroes. As part of the swim program, CSHS students are taken surfing once a week. The students think that all kids deserve the chance get in the water and experience all of fun that surfing brings!
Why should you donate to our team?
The students have been busy washing cars and dogs, doing odd jobs, begging family for donations. Over the course of the 24hr swim, they have set goals for donations, for instance if you donate $100, they’ll do 1km of butterfly! Last year the student’s mascot was a blow up doll called Tony. They swam laps with him to raise more cash!
Donate to Churchlands Dolphins HERE.
Team Name: Fitstop Jolimont
Who are we?
Our team of 12 athletes all met in the four walls of Fitstop Jolimont – a place where sweat meets high-fives, and training partners become life-long friends. We’re a bunch of squatters turned swimmers, and we’re ready to take on 24 hours of non-stop splashing, swimming and solidarity.
Why should you donate to our team?
As competitive as we are, the 24 Hour swim isn’t about breaking records in the pool, it’s about breaking barriers for the Autism Community. We’re fired, fuelled and filled with determination to make a change. Our Fitstop Family needs your help to turn ripples of hope into waves of change.
Donate to Fitstop Jolimont HERE.
Team Name: Oopsie Daisies
Who are we?
We’re the crew behind some of Perth’s best açai bowls & sausage rolls.the staff of Daisies Cafe, Cottesloe!
Why should you donate to our team?
We are a super fun, motivated and enthusiastic team who are so excited to get in the water and raise money for this amazing cause. Ocean Heroes means so much to us at Daisies and we are so grateful to be given the opportunity to give back to our community and the unreal community that Ocean Heroes has created.
Donate to Oopsie Daisies HERE.
Team Name: Swimcerely, Yours
Who are we?
A group of 12, working professional women – some friends, some strangers. Some squad swimmers, some lazy lappers. All united by the fish as our spirit animal, and a strong desire to help others. Half the team are regular volunteers at Ocean Heroes (team captain Dani is Ocean Heroes’ volunteer publicist) and absolutely love getting in the surf with the kids every month, and seeing their faces light up when they experience the thrill of riding a wave (or getting wiped out – sometimes, that results in an even bigger smile!)
Why you should donate to us:
Because our hustle has been huge! We’ve been working harder than Dolly Parton in her 9 – 5 to get the dollars up there for this swim. We did a massive cash raffle selling hundreds of tickets, which was hours and hours of spreadsheet fun! We’re also doing (what we think might be the biggest) prize pool on deck at the Swim – anyone who donates $10 or more to our page between 4pm, Friday April 19 and 4pm, Saturday April 20, goes into the draw to win a heap of prizes – keep your eyes on our page for prize details.
We’re also wearing pretty out there, flowery, vintage retro swim caps – that we think will brighten up the long hours in the pool! Plus a few more surprises…
Donate to Swimcerely, Yours HERE.
Team Name: The Don’t Dairy Golden Fins
Who are we?
We are the Ocean Heroes Volunteers team. We all volunteer regularly with the kids at the beach events for Ocean Heroes and are passionate about the charity and the work they do. You may have spotted some of us out and about wearing our bathers, cap and goggles ready to go. We are ready to swim! If you check out our video on social media you can see how committed we are:
Why should you donate to our team?
Every donation of $25 or more will go into the running to WIN prizes from our legendary sponsors Don’t Dairy, Saltywings, PekoPeko and Bravo surfing products.
Donate The Don’t Dairy Golden Fins HERE.
Team Name: Red Lanterns
Who are we?
Red Lanterns is a tribute to the tour de France in the old days, when the last placed rider would carry a red lantern to signify the end of the race – these days it’s about giving those at the back of the pack the courage to finish – a triumph of spirit over results!
We are a mix of good friends and family who have participated in the 24 hour swims over the last three years. We first started doing the 24 hour swim because my kids are regular surfers with Ocean Heroes and we love the vibe. This year our team also includes a huge family turnout. As well as my wife and kids from Perth, it will include my parents, brother, sister and a niece coming from interstate. Our team ages range from 8 to 82!
Why should you donate to our team?
Because we are passionate about Ocean Heroes and we’ve seen how much joy it brings to the kids and everyone else who is part of it!
Donate to Red Lanterns HERE.
Team name: Scarbergs
Who we are?
We are a fun group of West Aussies who love a social swim year-round. We are made up of siblings, work colleagues, school friends, friends of friends, expats and friends we have made at Scarborough Beach Pool. Our founding member Jack Tagg initiated the Scarbergs swim club alongside his sisters, inspired by their grandpa Barry Walton – who was one of the very first members (and a life member) of Sydney swim club Bondi Icebergs until his passing. Barry’s love for swimming and the ocean was passed down to his grandchildren, who live in WA. Scarbergs was founded after Barry’s passing in 2021.
Why should you donate to our team?
We are so excited to take part in our third Ocean heroes swim! We are raffling off a number of local business gift vouchers on our Instagram page @scarbergs for anyone who donates to Team Scarbergs. We have some great local WA prizes up for grabs!
Donate Scarbergs HERE.
Team Name: Downward Dog Paddlers
Who we are?
We all do a weekly community dog yoga class together at Brighton Reserve on Tuesday mornings – hence the name. Most of us have volunteered for Ocean Heroes before, too.
Why should you donate to our team:
We have been raising money through Dog washes, the weekly dog yoga by donation, and concerts in the park. We pledge to swim 50 metres of doggy paddle for every $50 donated! And of course, lots of good yogic karma headed your way if you donate.
Donate to Downoward Dog Paddlers HERE.
Team name: Our Drug is Chlorine.
Who we are?
Our team is of varying ages, some as young as 21 and as old as 63. We all know each other from Central Aquatic Swimming Club and formed very strong friendships through swimming, often catching up for beers on weekends and coffee’s after training.
Why should you donate to our team:
Most of us love the ocean and grew up in it and it is a happy place for us so we want the same enjoyment for the kids. To give them confidence and a fun time in the ocean is why we are all doing this.
Donate to Our Drug is Chlorine HERE.
Team name: Revo Fitness
Who are we?
We all work together everyday at Revo HQ! Revo Fitness is the naming rights partner for the swim; we’re so proud to put our name behind this event and give back to the WA community we love, and we really wanted to put that support into action, and participate ourselves in the swim, too.
Why should you donate to our team:
The team has gone from seeing each other in the office every day to taking it to the next level – spending 24 hours together at the pool! Our team members are excited to trade their usual “Gym Fit” for “Swim Fit” and jump in the pool for a good cause!
Donate to Revo Fitness HERE.
Team Name: Back to Breath
Who are we?
We are a group of like-minded individuals who have come together through love of swimming and the water. In last year’s event, as a team we all camped out for the full 24 hours, we swam 80+kms together and raised over $15,000 through various fundraising initiatives including a quiz night and budgie car wash. We are super proud to support Ocean Heroes. Our name is a reminder to take a moment each day to pause and come back to your breath.
Why you should donate to our team?
As a group, we have strong empathy for those in society who are having to face certain life-challenging issues. We have team members who are personally aware of the issues facing individuals diagnosed on the Autism spectrum, and team members who have personally benefited from the Ocean Heroes surfing program, so we know firsthand the difference Ocean Heroes is making, and we hope you can help us to support them.
Donate to Back to Breath HERE.
Team Name: Team Boom
Who are we?
We are all members or trainers at Boom Fitness, a class-based community gym in Scarborough and East Fremantle. We have members from both gyms involved this year and an array of professional background ranging from lawyers, physios and photographers to beach inspectors, hospitality professionals and coaches/owners of Boom Fitness itself. We all get into the competitive spirit and are a tight knit community with a thriving base of supporters to help with donations.
Why should you donate to our team?
Last year we were the team that raised the most and we aim to do this again, we’ll be pushing hard in the lead up to the swim and will be active on social media platforms on the day. We’re in the same lane as FITSTOP and plan on showing them how it’s done, bit of gym rivalry never went astray. We’re hard working but also here to have fun in the process, expect to see some fun outfits and some general silliness all for a great cause.
Donate to Team Boom HERE.