On Thursday, Pancreatic Cancer Cure Foundation (PCCF) with board president Steve Cygan visited the Swain School Campus of Moravian Academy to present an award to their Swain Sprinters for their hard work, dedication, and support over the years. Since 2015, the Swain Sprinters team has raised nearly $10,000 in donations for Amy’s Ride/Run/Walk Against Pancreatic Cancer!
Thursday was a special day for the Swain Sprinters as it was also their bake sale and dress-down day! The team donated baked goods to sell during the school day, and the whole school dressed down in purple to raise donations. PCCF arrived just before school ended to find a spirited group of boys, energetically brandishing handmade signs at the cars in the dismissal lane to advertise the last few remaining items from their bake sale. Their enthusiasm was refreshing and contagious!
After the bake sale and before the boys began their practice, PCCF was given the opportunity to meet with the boys, answer questions and show our appreciation for their fundraising success. We were really impressed with the great questions that were asked about pancreatic cancer and how the money they help raise impacts curing the disease. For such a young group of boys, they seemed genuinely interested in understanding the pancreas and the causes and symptoms of pancreatic cancer. It is this awareness, early on in young people’s lives, that is going to help the future of pancreatic cancer research and treatment! Amy’s Ride/Run/Walk was honored to present them with an award in recognition of their accomplishments. Afterward, we had the chance to stick around for a few minutes of practice. We flew up the drone and the boys had fun trying to outrun it!
Congratulations again to Swain Sprinters for their many achievements. In just one day, they raised about $814.50 from the bake sale and about $1300 from the dress-down day! And, we can’t forget to thank the parents and educators who are helping to shape the lives of these students and the community. We hope these kids continue to ask great questions, share their positivity and optimism with the world, and crush their goals –whatever they may be!
About the Swain Sprinters
Coach Jeff Haviland started the Swain Sprinters when he joined the Swain School in 2017. At the time, they had Girls on the Run but no option for the boys. Since Coach H. worked with a program similar to it at his last school, Swain School asked if he would be interested in starting a program at Swain as well. Jeff Haviland said, “As a lifelong runner, I was happy to do it!”
The Swain Sprinters have been participating in Amy’s Ride/Run/Walk since their creation 5 years ago. Coach Jeff Haviland was looking for a race close by, that took place in May, and was an affordable option for the families. When researching races, he loved that children could race for free since each child needs an adult to run with them. He was also inspired by the story behind Amy’s Ride/Run/Walk.
“Everyone in the Cygan family, and everyone else who helps run this race, who I’ve met is so nice and supportive. I’m so thankful we found this race!” – Jeff Haviland
The Swain Sprinters are made up of boys in 3rd through 5th grade. This year they have about 20 boys signed up. The Swain School Campus of Moravian Academy is a private K-8 school in Allentown. Coached by Jeffrey Haviland, Allison Haas, and Heather Manning, these boys work hard to build strong characteristics of a leader such as confidence, respect, and being a good teammate. The boys also strengthen their running ability each practice, working toward participating in Amy’s Ride Run Walk 5K each year.
“What makes this school unique is its small class sizes and overall sense of community that the school provides. I absolutely love teaching here because of the relationships I build with my students, their families, and my colleagues. ” – Jeff Haviland
Currently, the Swain Sprinters team for Amy’s Ride/Run/Walk is at 32 team members and climbing! Register to join the Swain Sprinters in Amy’s Ride/Run/Walk Against Pancreatic Cancer on Saturday 5/21: https://amysriderunwalk.enmotive.com/events/register/amy-s-ride-run-walk-2022
Extra – Swain Sprinters hard at practice!
Extra – Swain Sprinters at 2021 Amy’s Ride/Run/Walk Event
