Louisiana’s Denham Springs High School Needs Your Help

On August 13, 2016, Denham Springs High School took on 3 – 5 feet of water in all of its buildings.

Computers, desks, tables, textbooks—everything was ruined. If not originally destroyed by the water, the damp, warm conditions festering inside the school led to mold growth and subsequent destruction of most contents.

Like Denham Springs High School, most (90%) of all homes and businesses in the city of Denham Springs suffered the same fate. Six days in to our school year, Denham Springs High School students lost all glimpses of a normal school year.

Most of their families were evacuated to shelters in surrounding cities, waiting for the water to recede in order to go back in and survey the damage. Many students got 5 – 7 feet of water in their homes and lost everything they owned.

Due to the severe financial loss these families have suffered, many non-revenue sports teams will suffer losses of players due to personal financial shortages. Denham Springs High Swim Team will be no exception.

Many, if not most, swimmers will not be able to afford the basic swim fee required to participate in the season. The fee covers practice facilities, uniforms, meet entries, league fees, team events, and lodging for the state meet, and while the team will do fundraisers (2) to help cover the cost of these necessities, the fundraisers themselves will not cover the cost for all the swimmers to participate. In a traumatic time of loss for these swim families, I cannot imagine turning away swimmers due to financial shortcomings.

The support of the coaching staff and the normalcy of practice, team camaraderie, and friendships gained far exceeds any monetary value, but practically, many swimmers will not be able to experience these things due to financial inabilities caused by the Great Flood of 2016.

The mission of the Denham Springs High School Swim Team is to condition minds and bodies of high school athletes to accomplish self-established goals through hard work and self-discipline both in and out of the pool.

As a coach and mentor primarily concerned with the physical and emotional well-being of young adults, I’m asking you to help me provide the support my swimmers need during these hardships. Would you please consider donating to the Denham Springs High School Swim Team to help sponsor one one or more of the 30 swimmers?

Any amount would bless a family tremendously during this time. A full sponsorship of $250 would not only cover the items mentioned above, but it would allow a young adult to build the friendships, establish the discipline, and practice the perseverance needed to get through these difficult times and other difficult times he or she will face in life.

If you’re interested in donating, you may give at GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/2n52v5j4 or mail a check made out to Denham Springs High School to the address below. Thank you so much for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

This is courtesy of the Head swim coach, Kayla Meadows.