Vicksburg Swim Association held their first Swim-A-Thon fundraiser Tuesday, with a majority of the funds raised being donated to team member Afton Wallace, a local teen who is battling cancer.

VSA head coach Mathew Nixon said Swim-A-Thon, which is put on nationally by the team’s parent organization USA Swimming, has been around for a long time, but this effort was Vicksburg’s first year to participate, citing a need to raise money for team costs and equipment.

“After we got it going, we decided most of the money should go to a better cause,” he said. “We decided 65 percent of the money raised will go to Afton,” he said.

Five percent of profits are going to USA Swimming, which uses the money to promote the sport and support swimming lessons for children, Nixon said.

The swim team will use the remaining 30 percent of the money for a swim training camp members will attend this summer in Arlington, Texas.

Nixon said the Swim-A-Thon consists of a two-hour time period in which participants swim as many lengths as they can up to 200, which is the equivalent of 5,000 yards or 2.84 miles.

“What they have done is gone out and asked members of the community to make donations per length,” he said. “If you got someone to donate a dollar per lap and you swim 200 laps, they’re a sponsor for $200.”

After the event is over, the team members will go back to the people who pledged donation to let them know how many laps they did and collect the money, Nixon said.

“Some people have chosen to do an upfront donation, but I think it’s kind of fun to do a pledge per lap,” he said.

Nixon said the event was challenging, but a lot of kids surprised themselves.

“You think one more lap makes one more dollar, and it keeps you going a little better,” he said.

Nixon said everyone was excited to test their limits and see what they could do to contribute, and as a participant himself, it was easier to push through knowing he was swimming for Wallace.

“I still consider her a fundamental part of our team,” he said. “Anytime she’s feeling good enough she’ll come out to the pool.”

Nixon said from day one of Wallace’s diagnosis she has continued to swim, and it has not been until recently she has really had to cut back on her time spent out at the pool.

“She’s an important part of our team and one of the older leaders,” he said. “Afton is well-respected and well-liked. Anyone who knows her knows how important she is to our team.”

Nixon said the team members, who range in age from 5 to 18, look up to Wallace.