Uniontown YMCA seeks volunteers to help with triathlon
The Uniontown Area YMCA will be hosting its sixth annual Sprint Triathlon on July 13 and is seeking volunteers to help ensure that the event goes off without a hitch.
The triathlon, which consists of a 200-yard swim in the YMCA's pool, a 13-mile bike ride and a 5K run through local streets, begins bright and early at 7 a.m.
“We'll be needing volunteers to help out during the event,” said Uniontown Area YMCA Program Director Bill Poninsky. “They will be doing things like counting laps in the pool during the swimming leg as well as directing traffic along both the 5K run and bike courses at various intersections to make sure the runners and bikers know which way to go. We also need volunteers on hand in the event of emergencies like bicycle accidents, sickness or flat tires.”
Event volunteers would also help set up the post-race party, where refreshments will be served and awards will be given to the winning participants in the male, female and co-ed divisions.
“Usually we need around 50 to 60 volunteers in order to make the event successful,” Poninsky said.
The race has typically drawn around 60 participants in past years, but this year Poninsky hopes to see even more.
“We usually see some serious athletes as well as people who are out having fun on their first triathlon,” he said. “Some of our participants have even done the Ironman Triathlon before, but we also have parents who participate with their children, so there is a range of fitness levels. It's a challenging event no matter what, but it's a great accomplishment.”
The annual triathlon is held to raise funds for the YMCA's scholarship fund, which supports members of the community who may not be able to afford a membership. It also helps to cover the cost of other programs that the YMCA offers such as summer day camp and instructional sports programs.
Eligibility for scholarships is determined by demonstrated financial need along with an application and staff interview.
“Our goal is to raise between $6,000 and $8,000 for the scholarship fund,” Poninsky said. “In the last couple of years we've averaged around $7,000 through sponsorships from the community and registration fees from the triathlon.”
The YMCA staff has been working for months to make sure this year's triathlon is a fun and safe event for all.
Interested volunteers can contact Bill Poninsky at the Uniontown Area YMCA at 724-438-2584 or billp@uniontownymca.org.
Kaidia Pickels is a contributing writer for Trib Total Media.
