There are several ways to make an impact and help others during the summer of COVID-19.

Adrien Van Dyke and others are using their athleticism for a good cause.

The Pioneer water polo standout teamed up with her older sister and others to swim the length of Last Mountain Lake near her hometown of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada on July 16.

The foursome swam the majority of the lake, spanning 78.48 km (48.7 miles), raising $10,085 for the YWCA's Say Yes campaign to help fund its outreach team and offer hands-on support.

The group rotated with each person swimming for one hour at a time, and was monitored by the Marathon Swimming Federation. They finished in 27 hours and 19 minutes.

"The YWCA is important year-round, and it's even more important at this time to stay open," said Van Dyke, who is entering her senior season at Cal State East Bay. "I'm happy to provide support.

"It turned into a way to help support other women in need during this time of COVID."



Along with her older sister, Kelsey Van Dyke, as well as Meghan Chisholm and Dionne Tatlow, the group became the first to swim across Last Mountain Lake in marathon-style fashion.

Even for a foursome of accomplished swimmers, Van Dyke acknowledged there were some obstacles.

"The most challenging part was getting out there for my 1 a.m. swim," she said. "Swimming through the night and getting up for a late swim was the hardest part.

"But morale on the boat was good. Everybody was motivated to finish. It was a really fun experience and none of us wanted it to be over."