SWAMPSCOTT — The Swampscott Yacht Club announced on Thursday that it will be donating $9,356 to fund the middle school’s eighth-grade Washington D.C. Trip Scholarship Fund.
Funds for the donation came from the town’s annual Polar Bear Plunge event that was held on New Year’s Day at Fisherman’s Beach, according to the press release. The funds will help ensure every student can enjoy the trip despite any financial needs they may have.
“The event is about more than just jumping into the Atlantic in January,” Yacht Club Commodore Mike Tracy said. “It’s about showing our students that their town stands behind them and wants them to have the same experience as their peers. The response from the community has been incredible.”
Held annually on Jan. 1, the event has gone on to root itself into the very fabric of the community. This year, Tracy and Christine Hartmann led the efforts to raise funds for the students, while working alongside Swampscott Middle School Teacher Kevin Rogers.
The funds will specifically be going toward supporting students who require financial assistance in order to attend the annual eighth-grade trip to D.C., which has become a formative and memorable experience for students.
“We are so grateful to the Swampscott Yacht Club and the larger community for stepping up in such a big way,” Kevin Rogers said. “This donation ensures that big cost isn’t a barrier, and that every student has a chance to learn and grow from this experience.”
Swampscott Yacht Club was originally founded in 1933, located at Swampscott’s municipal Fish House (which was built in 1896). It is the oldest active fish house on the East Coast. The Yacht Club engages in service to the community while maintaining an active and diverse membership in Swampscott.
