Swim for Zoe - Swimsuit Edition

This week I received THREE new suits from SPEEDO! Opening the box with the swim suits was very exciting to me.  Out of all other sports that I have participated in, swimming is by far the most enjoyable to me.  I sent Speedo my sizes and top picks but when I opened the box, I realized they had sent me three suits that were even better than the ones I had asked for!

One has a black and blue pattern (hoping that's not meant symbolically that this training will bruise me up a bit) and the other is green, with a palm-like pattern.  

Have you ever been nagged to try something new to the point of doing it just to get the nagger to just quit nagging?  I was told years ago to try the new swim suits out that are made to last longer than regular swim suits.  So many people have made the case that this "endurance fabric" is supposed to work wonders in the chlorine and salt water. Unlike regular suits that end up sagging across the middle after only a couple months of wear, these suits are designed to last and last - retaining color and shape.  I resigned myself to continue wearing the regular fabric, and countered that the "drag from the sag" only made me a faster swimmer. The real issue was the cost of the endurance fabric.  I could not consider buying swim suits as much as twice as expensive when I was also spending money on great running shoes and bike gear.  

Well, Speedo has closed the case on the swim suit issue for me by sponsoring three swimsuits, two of which are made with endurance fabric and my life will never be the same! They are just perfect!  I was so anxious to try them out that I immediately went to the pool.  I hung them up after swims and they dry within an hour; the best part is, they are comfortable, too!  I'll have to keep you posted on just how long they last, but I'm confident they will perform as well as everyone has suggested. 

Now, the jury is still out on the third suit. It is the newly released LZR Race Elite Recordbreaker.  For starters, I can’t quite get into it! I know it's supposed to be skin-tight, but I couldn't even get it over my knees! I asked for advice from the Tri Club on Thursday in the pool and our coach mentioned that it often took THREE people to get the suit on! I think I might have to call Speedo for assistance. Until then, check out this official video fit guide:

Hoping you're all enjoying a taste of spring by now! 

Thank Yous!

Our goal is being met! I'm so excited to announce that we've raised $1080 so far for the ICW10!

Many thanks to Iain Fergusson and Highland Roofing Company!  They are our latest and biggest corporate sponsors.  I know Iain and his wife Becca,  and their children Sam, Lucy and Zoie through our YDubTriClub and I appreciate their help in the Swim for ZOE!    

I also want to publicly thank the Bouton family, Mike and Celeste for their large contribution to this swim.  They are great family friends whose friendship I greatly appreciate!  Thank you for all of your generous donations which allow me to focus energy and love on our AIDS orphaned children during these long daily swims. 

Fundraising Kick-Off - Part II

A No-Go! 

The meeting with the ILA union members on February 8 didn't work out after all!  It was no fault of anyone's.  In fact, it is always good to have lots of work, and that's what these union members get - lots of work at unpredictable times.  Most of the time they don't work on Tuesdays which is why they have their meetings on then.  This week, however, a commercial vessel came in unexpectedly, and the so-called "all hands on deck" was issued.  Their normal 100 or so union members dwindled down to 21 - four less than needed to hold a meeting, so they had to cancel it and reschedule for the second Tuesday of NEXT month! For me, this was such a blessing and answer to my prayer, "Lord, if you're willing, please take this cup from me!"

Our 4 person team this week became 5, with the addition of my BFF, Beth Sheppard.  Her first sponsorship allowed us to open a bank account for Swim for Zoe, to have a logo design completed, and who continues to support our efforts from her caring perspective.  She knows how I operate, my shortcomings and struggles, and yet remains my biggest supporter in life in general - I love her like a sister!  Ben Bowie, Beth Andrew, Jen Manocchio, my husband Doug and I met at Henry's for dinner before having to leave for the presentation at the ILA - not knowing it would be canceled once we got there.  We met there to further discuss the presentation, as well as to get to know Gaston - the ZOE representative who came to help field questions during the presentation.  It took him two hours to drive here, then meet us for dinner, drive to the ILA building where it was announced the meeting would be canceled before having to immediately drive straight back home.  He took it in stride saying many meetings end that way and that it was a blessing we all got to know each other over dinner.  I was very pleased with meeting him which increased my enthusiasm for fundraising for ZOE.  The empowerment project, the way he described it over dinner, is definitely something I'm excited to be a part of!  

Please pray for my team and me as we once more prepare for the presentation in upwards of a hundred ILA union members next month! 

News Shorts

I am so blessed by every little donation to this project! This week, I learned that Lance Tate, YWCA pool director extraordinaire,  will be giving me a winter pool pass so that I can start training  -- four days this coming week -- where am I going to find the time?!

Brian Coughlan of Utility Management made a corporate contribution and our little thermometer to the right started to climb! Plus, I found out the Speedo donated THREE! racing swim suits! One of them costs upwards of $300!

And of course, I've stocked up on haircolor to get me through a couple months (girls, only you know how necessary this is!!).  Thank you all for checking in and following these highlights each week.  This is an exciting part of my life and it's really great to share it with you! 

Swim for Zoe Logo

Many thanks to  Dennis Kautz at Graphica for our new Swim for Zoe logo! Without further ado, here is our Swim for Zoe finalist:

Fundraising Kick-Off - Part I

Last week, I had an out of body experience - no lie!! 

I had been preparing for a presentation to be held at the International Longshoreman's Association (ILA), downtown Wilmington for a couple weeks.  I had met the ILA's business agent, Lewis Hines through one of Wilmington's Stevedores, Chris Sheppard.  Shep set me up with Mr. Hines to discuss ZOE ministry.  If you haven't heard of the ILA, its only the largest union of maritime workers in North American representing some 65,000 longshoreman.  I was nervous to say the least, but Mr. Hines was such a wonderful person to have my first real talk with about the Swim for ZOE.  He helped me with my pitch in "selling" the passion of my mission.  He told me what not to say and what I should say.  He took phone calls, listened attentively, and spent quite a bit of time with me - I left feeling like we really connected and I looked forward to seeing him again, knowing that time would come in few short weeks.  He asked me to come talk to the board of the ILA about this mission project. 

On February 2nd, that opportunity came.  I had had a very busy day that entailed teacher duty, tutoring, teaching, and a meeting after school.  By the time I was getting ready to go present to the board, I was talking to Jesus to help me!  My husband and boys were at their last wrestling match in New Bern.  But, I was surrounded by the rest of my local Swim for Zoe team: Ben, Beth, and Jen.  When we arrived at the ILA building, I was a basket of nerves!  

The first person we saw: Shep - waiting on the corner for us.  I was deeply relieved at seeing him.  When we were invited to go into the room where the board meeting was already in progress, that's when I started having this out-of-body experience.  These men, I couldn't have counted to ten if I'd tried at that time, where sitting around a beautiful oak oval table, pens and papers in hand, glasses down on their noses, watching our entourage walk in.  They gave up their seats to us women, and the chairman told me they had lots of business still to discuss so I had to make it quick.  

Do you know how it feels to not know if you have a tongue in your mouth?  I looked to my right, and there was Beth, smiling so sweetly directly at my face.  I don't really know what I said to the men of the board, but I do remember the chairman asking me to come back to speak at the union meeting, being held February 8th.  I was so happy - like there I was and I didn't let the team down.  There has never been such sweet relief!  We got there at 7:00pm and were out of the building by 7:20pm and I didn't know where the time went.  

Now I'm preparing for this week's presentation, and here I go again with the dry mouth, just thinking about it.  How am I going to get through it?  We're talking upwards of 100 possible members showing up out of 300 members.  Nervous?  That doesn't describe the fear at all!  Who knew when I was taking public speaking class in college that I would use if for Swim for Zoe!

The Start of Something Big

I'm getting really excited and feel that God is putting things in just the right places for this event to actually happen!  One of the biggest tasks on my list - find a swim coach! One who can help me mentally and physically on this endurance swim.

Last week - I found the one! I met with a swim coach, John Pellizzari to ask if he'd be willing to coach me through this swim.  One of the first questions he asked: what is your husband going to do during this swim. A powerful question that caught me off guard! He knew right off that without my family's support, this event won't even hold water (so to speak). I knew right off that I'd love to work with someone who puts family at the top.

Next, we talked logistics: tides, gear and support. He was excited to hear that we already have Ben, a competitive sailor with a motor boat who knows the water and will be with me during this endeavor. 

Finally, we touched on training and the actual swim!  By May, he wants me  to be swimming five days a week! I didn't say so, but immediately I was thinking, "How am I going to keep the color in my hair?  What am I going to do about constant goggle marks around my eyes?  Oh, no - should I reconsider this whole thing?" :)

Leanne