Making Waves

9/25/2019

Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement

Alice Phillips commemorates Titan swimmers' past community service efforts with a return to the water this fall

Alice Phillips is going the distance.

Phillips is participating in a 5-mile open water swim in the James River on October 5 called Swim Across America. The race is raising funds to support clinical trials and cancer research at VCU Massey Cancer Center. This is the same organization for which Titan swim teams coached by Phillips participated in for ten years, from 2005-2015 during their Making Waves for Cancer Swim-a-Thon. In that 10-year span, the team raised more than $46,000 and swam more than 900 miles. And like so many great accomplishments in our community, this one began with the students.

In 2005, then senior Kelly Allen’s father was diagnosed with cancer. The team was determined to support the Allen family, and they developed the idea to swim for cancer research as a team. The response was tremendous, with the initial event raising $3,500 and swimming 92 miles. After such a strong start, the team embraced the event and made it an annual one for which they felt immense pride.

Phillips recalls, “It was such a point of pride that we could sustain the thread for that length of time. Cancer affects so many people, and every year there was a direct connection for the team. Everyone is touched by cancer in some way or another, and this made it more meaningful for us. We were proud that as a team we could keep the message alive of the importance of cancer research.”

“Making waves for cancer research” was the motto of the event, and, even as it lasted 10 years, Phillips continued to be surprised by the generosity of the community. “People gave by participating, volunteering, cheering, donating. There were always athletes who surprised me, too. Perhaps they weren’t the fastest swimmer, however they often swam the most and set these goals and reached them.”

She was also touched by the support of alumna Swannee Goodman Ericson '75, who attended every swim-a-thon over the ten years and made Phillips a beautiful quilt to commemorate each event.

Ericson remembers, “we invited all of the other swim coaches in schools in Richmond, and kids from other schools came, too. The swimming community is a tight-knit one, and this event brought groups together.” Ericson supported the event in a variety of ways throughout the years, including swimming laps, counting laps, and donating snacks. She said the swim-a-thon grew beyond student involvement with parents and siblings joining the event. “It wasn’t just a Trinity event. It was a wonderful opportunity for the kids to do something for the greater good. And it was fun!” Ericson says. “ When it started, [the team members] wanted to do something for Kelly (Allen), and it just grew from there. Once you were a part of it, you wanted to stay involved.”

After volunteering at the open water swim last year, Phillips was reminded of the way in which people will come together and do something they enjoy for a purpose beyond themselves. Phillips calls this “putting their compassion in action,” and it is what drove her decision to swim 5 miles in the James River in October. This kind of undertaking would be daunting to most, yet Phillips thrives in the challenge of open water, particularly when she is doing so in support of others. “When you go with a competitive mindset to an event, there is ego involved, for good or bad,” says Phillips. “With an event for something beyond yourself, you are pushed in a different way because it isn’t about you, it is for someone or something else. You draw extra strength in doing something for others.”

Phillips’ daughter, Madelyn ’15, will accompany her in a support kayak, and Phillips hopes other former or current Titan swimmers will come out to the event and help spread awareness about supporting cancer research. The event takes place on the morning of Trinity’s Homecoming, giving an opportunity to support the Titans in the water and on the field.

To learn more, contact Phillips at alicephillips@trinityes.org.

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About “Connections”

Connections is a regular online column, written from the first-person perspective of Laura Hamlin Weiler ’00, Head of Community Engagement:

In this space, I have the privilege of sharing stories of Trinity students, alumni, and faculty and staff who are carrying our mission beyond the boundaries of campus. Many of these stories might not make the headlines, but they will illustrate how every member of the Trinity community has a unique path to discover, and the ability to make an impact on both the Trinity community and the world beyond.

I am fortunate to have been a part of this community since my own adolescence. I have been a student, a teacher, a coach, and an administrator, and in these roles I have witnessed the school’s growth and evolution through the years. We have grown in size as well as spirit.

Stories here will capture how seeds planted at Trinity have taken root and flourished into full-grown passions. You’ll also read stories of those in our community who bring their gifts from outside to help us learn. At Trinity, we seek to develop lifelong learners, and stories here will illustrate real-life examples of that beautiful symbiosis.