He chased around a group of kids as they fled from the college student dubbed “Godzilla.” The 6-foot-3, long-armed monster bore down on the kids as they tried to escape his clutches.
However, what stood out in this moment was not the towering Division-I swimmer pretending to be a massive dragon-esque being, trying to catch crazed kids. It was what dangled around a few of the kids’ necks – medals from the AT&T Winter Nationals donated by IU swimmer Oliver Patrouch and some of his teammates.
A junior from New York, Patrouch was a part of the winning 4x50-yard freestyle team at Nationals and has worked with the South Central Community Action Program, a program that helps low-income families and individuals get themselves out of poverty, as part of a project for one of his education classes this semester.
SCCAP began in Indiana more than 50 years ago, Thriving Connections Coordinator Linda Patton said, and it continues to help thousands of families.
“We looked around and found a model we thought had a good chance of working,” Patton said. “So we don’t call us a program, we call us a community.”
During the program’s meetings, parents will leave their kids with volunteers like Patrouch to do some learning on their own about preparing themselves to be successful in life.
“I mean, these kids learn so much in the few hours that they have with them,” SCCAP member Haley Kinser said. “I love that it’s so positive and fun for them.”
The idea arose when head IU swim coach Ray Looze suggested the swimmers donate the medals to kids at the local Boys and Girls Club. But Patrouch, an education major, had another idea and suggested SCCAP.
“I was actually surprised how much the kids loved it,” Patrouch said. “Cause to us it’s just another medal 'cause we’ve been swimming for years and doing other sports too. But I really appreciated how they recognized that this is such an accomplishment.”
Seven-year-old Aleo Kinser, Haley’s son, couldn’t contain his excitement about the medal, hanging it up on his wall at home.
It was awesome, Aleo said as he thrust his arms enthusiastically into the air. He said he looked like a "Halo" soldier jumping when I got it.
The act of kindness was also a total surprise to many of those involved with SCCAP, including Patton.
“I had no idea he was a swimmer until last Thursday after our weekly meeting when Ethan, age 7, came running up to me to show me what he got in class,” Patton said in an email. “I noticed that it was heavy and official-looking and asked him where he got it. That is when I learned that Oliver gave our kiddos medals that the relay team had donated from the meet at the AT&T Winter National Championship! The kids loved them and the parents were appreciative. What an inspiration for young and old alike.”
And while the kids were overjoyed to receive the medals, Patrouch said he was equally as excited about it and the opportunity to work with the kids.
“I didn’t expect something like this,” Patrouch said. “I was happy this opportunity came along.”
