The YWCA Evanston/North Shore kicked off its annual Flying Fish swim marathon Friday night, officially marking the 30th anniversary of its initial inception in 1994.

For four days, swimmers in eighth grade and younger on the YWCA’s Flying Fish swim team are once again taking on the challenge of swimming for one hour nonstop as a way of tracking their yearly progress. 

Peter Caragher, the director and head coach of Flying Fish Aquatics, said about 330 swimmers are participating in this year’s marathon. 

“Kids who reach goals that they have beyond where they thought they could and getting out of their comfort zone and achieving something … like having them finish for the first time … is kind of fun,” Caragher said. 

In addition to testing swimmers’ progress and endurance each year, the marathon fundraises for YWCA’s aquatic programming, Caragher said. The organization offers scholarships and financial aid for swim lessons or swim team membership to those who otherwise would not be able to afford it, he added.

The funds also go toward YWCA’s numerous community programs and services, supporting families who depend on the organization’s domestic violence services and social justice programs, and bringing violence prevention and racial equity programs to local schools and organizations. 

Charlotte Lemmon, one of this year’s swimmers, said she has participated in every marathon since she was in first grade. With this being her last year of eligibility, Lemmon said she has enjoyed seeing her progress with each passing year. 

“My favorite part is being able to finish … and just being relieved and happy that I was able to swim for the whole hour and then see how many lengths I got and just being able to compare it to all of the past years,” Lemmon said. 

Lemmon said she has also appreciated the fundraising aspect of the event. She said she has asked her friends and family for their donations and support. 

The organization aims to raise at least $80,000 this year. As of Sunday night, the fundraiser had raised more than $42,000 of its $80,000 goal.

Shira Schwarz, a parent of a participant this year, said she appreciates getting to support and watch her daughter’s journey as a swimmer since her first marathon two years ago. 

“It’s exciting to see how much my daughter has grown as a swimmer (and) continue to see how she has improved and how her confidence builds in swimming,” Schwartz said. “Her enjoyment of the sport has also grown through the years, because the YWCA has an uncanny ability to make something hard also seem really fun.”

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