The first Saturday in August has always been the BuxMont Championship Swim Meet and the Fanny Chapman team party where the senior swimmers and divers are honored and celebrated. This year was a little different.
Luckily pool manager Jim Foster saw to it that Fanny Chapman Memorial Pool would be open for business in these unprecedented times and although there would be no competition, Fanny Chapman Dolphins dove into the water as every year before under the direction of coach Tanya Barone Durant.
Summer of 2020 needed to celebrate 17 Fanny Chapman seniors. Since there was no normal, the parents, coaches and pool manager had to get creative in how they would celebrate. In typical Fanny fashion, the seniors were celebrated with a brick dedication to honor each of them.
This team of senior swimmers and divers joined their Fanny family under coaches Bill and Carey Lever many years ago. Some of these athletes have spent as many as 12 summers swimming and diving for Fanny Chapman. This year was the end of an era for many.
On Aug. 1, a permanent marker was dedicated to the following seniors; Emma Bekes (10 summers), Christina Cavalluzzo (seven), Luke Cimakasky (eight), Kate Hasegawa (11), Grace Hamilton (eight), Abigail Kearns (four), Isabella Kellner (nine), Harry Maeglin (10), Samantha Remmey (nine), Nicole Sasso (three), Alexandra Smallwood (11), Courtney Sterner (12), Caroline Stim (11), Jillian Troth (three), Cameron Wallace (three), Natalie Yim (11) and Maggie Young (10).
“You have been the role models for all the younger swimmers that followed,” Barone Durant said. “You will be missed and always remember We are Fanny!”
Foster spoke as someone who has been with these athletes all their years at Fanny. Many of them currently work at the pool for Foster.
“We wanted to remember you with more than a memory,” he said, and as he choked up, he blew the debris off of the personalized bricks that were laid in their honor. “You’ll be with us a lifetime.”
