The One Hour Swim, 2013

The 23rd Annual One Hour Swim was held January 13 at Columbia University and January 26 at John Jay College. Our sincere thanks to all who swam, volunteered, or pledged money to support our athletes. Results are now online.

The OHS is part of the USMS One Hour Postal Championships, an annual meet held across the country. Swimmers get in the water, swim for 60 minutes without stopping, and get out. The object is to see how far you can go.

Team New York Aquatics uses this event as an opportunity to do something more than just swim. Every year we turn it into a fundraising event, a chance to help out local organizations. Online donations are still being accepted and can be associated with a particular swimmer if there is someone whose efforts you’d like to support. Any questions? Feel free to contact us at ohs@tnya.org.

This year’s event raised money for three beneficiaries:

AIDS Service Center NYC (ASCNYC) helps HIV-positive New Yorkers, and those at risk, get a second chance to reclaim their lives. They offer a diverse range of individualized, professional services in a nurturing environment, including access to healthcare, social services, peer education, and safe-practice counseling. ASCNYC programs promote positive change, self-respect, personal responsibility, and connection to community.

Immigration Equality is the first and only organization in the United States working to achieve full equality for LGBT and HIV-positive immigrants. Founded in 1994, it pioneered the field of LGBT/HIV immigration law and helped win major policy victories including ending the ban on immigration and travel for people with HIV. Immigration Equality’s two complementary roles — as lawyers providing free legal counsel to thousands of LGBT/HIV-positive immigrants each year, and as advocates pressing for policy changes to end the discrimination their clients face — make it a uniquely qualified and effective champion for LGBT/HIV-positive immigrants.

The Hetrick-Martin Institute believes all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential. Hetrick-Martin creates this environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth between the ages of 12 and 24 and their families. Through a comprehensive package of direct services and referrals, Hetrick-Martin seeks to foster healthy youth development. Hetrick-Martin’s staff promotes excellence in the delivery of youth services and uses its expertise to create innovative programs that other organizations may use as models. Hetrick-Martin was hit especially hard by Hurricane Sandy, so we are delighted to have the opportunity to help them out this year.