Every Summer, the swimming community of New Orleans comes together to celebrate a life cut short and a legacy whose waves have spread to enrich the lives of thousands of neighbors and charitable organizations across the city. The Brooke E. Posey Swim-a-Thon & Family FUNraiser, also known as Swim for Brooke, is a yearly charitable event to honor the life and generosity of Brooke Posey, a beloved swimmer who was sadly killed in an automobile accident on March 16, 2017, at the age of 17. Held each year around the time of her birthday in June, Swim for Brooke has carried on her charitable nature, raising money for non-profit organizations while welcoming families of all shapes and sizes to the Southern Yacht Club to swim, eat, and find community together.
“Brooke swam for the Southern Yacht Club’s swim team, the Seagulls, and after she passed, the team stepped up and dedicated their 2017 season to her,” says Melissa Corass, Brooke’s stepmother and the head of Brooke Erin Posey Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. “There was so much love for Brooke that they asked if we could hold a swim-a-thon to raise money for her favorite non-profit, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Together we raised nearly nine thousand dollars, and now the event continues to blossom.”
A homegrown event built upon love, Swim for Brooke has continued to evolve, adding carnival games & prizes, an online auction, dance troupes like the 610 Stompers and the Amelia Earhawts, and food provided by the Pig Lebowski, a Hogs for The Cause cooking team. Melissa takes pride in the event’s growth, which has flourished through organic word of mouth. It has become a wholesome gathering for families and neighbors to come together in fellowship and charity.
“Brooke loved kids and always put aside a portion of her allowance to donate to a cause she cared deeply about,” says Melissa. “Over the last eight years, we have raised over $132,000. This year, we were honored to have raised $14,500, for Heart of Passion, an amazing organization committed to providing VIP treatment and care to teens with cancer.”
Next year’s Swim for Brooke event is already in the planning stages, yet the Brooke Erin Posey Foundation continues to spread its unique warmth and love through year-long initiatives like “Brooke’s Kindness Bags, “The KimBEARly Drive”, and “Brooke’s Little Library”. In the aftermath of tragedy, Brooke’s passion has lived on through her loved ones, and that love has grown to encompass so many lives for the better, exactly how Brooke would have wanted it.
To get involved or learn about all the fun planned for next year’s event, please visit bepfoundation.org.
