On Saturday, December 14, the Westerville South High School Swimming and Diving Team will host the N.E.K. Pancreatic Cancer Crush, a high school swimming and diving invitational. The invitational features teams from 10 Ohio High Schools and will crown an “All-Around Champion” in four different tracks: a diving track; a sprint track; a distance track; and a relay track. The competition is unique in that all proceeds from the meet will be donated to the Lustgarten Foundation, a not-for-profit, 501 (c)3 charity that funds pancreatic cancer research.
In addition, the team is asking all schools in the district to join in and raise money for this worthy cause by hosting a “Wear Purple - One Day, One Dollar” fundraising event in each building, to take place before December 6. Schools that raise more than $50 will be recognized as sponsors.
The diving competition will take place at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 14, at the Westerville Community Center, which is located at 350 N. Cleveland Avenue. All swimming competitions will be held that afternoon at 3:45 p.m. at the Worthington Natatorium, located at 400 W. Dublin Granville Road. Admission is $6.00 for adults, $4.00 for 18 and younger, and free for cancer survivors.
The meet was created to raise money for the Lustgarten Foundation by former coach Kevin Kissling, whose father Noel lost his battle with pancreatic cancer in 2005.