Fitness challenge raises $10K for Old Saybrook grad party

OLD SAYBROOK — Like a choose your-own-adventure book, a fundraiser for this year’s safe grad program is letting people get exercise their own way.

Jane Wisialowski, treasurer for the Old Saybrook Safe Grad Committee, said participants will walk, run, hike or bike 21 miles to raise money for a party held the night of graduation.

The event was formed because everyone has wanted to get outside during the pandemic, Wisialowski said. She said registration cost $40 for adults, $30 for students and $20 for kids, or $100 to sponsor a high school senior.

“We thought, ‘Why not just let everybody do their own thing?’” she said. “Just commit to doing 21 miles for the class of ‘21. This way any level of fitness can participate.”

Wisialowski said the non-profit is selling shirts as part of the fundraiser, and noted that having the logos of sponsors on the back was a big part of the effort to raise money.

“I almost cried. It was amazing how many companies put checks in the mail to us,” she said. “I was overjoyed.”

Wisialowski said people have been excited to buy the shirts, which have the Saybrook Breakwater Lighthouse on them.

“Just from the 21 Mile Challenge, we’ve made over $10,000, which is really good for us,” she said.

Wisialowski said the non-profit aims to throw a party for the 100 graduating seniors at Old Saybrook High School. She said the goal is to give them one final time to be together in an alcohol- and drug-free environment.

“It’s really, really fun,” she said. “It’ll start at probably 9:30 at night after graduation and go until 3 o’clock in the morning.”

She said the event will follow the latest state guidance on COVID safety protocols.

“We are hoping that a large number of the kids will be vaccinated by then,” she said. “A number of the seniors are already vaccinated.”

In the meantime, Wisialowski said the preparation for the event has already started to bring the community together.

“The day we were handing shirts out on Main Street ... it was just so nice seeing all these people that you haven’t seen in so long,” she said.

Jane Wisialowski / Contributed photo From left, Angie Kulmann, Meghan Brady, Michelle Wiley, Jane Wisialowski, Tina Slisz, Holly Scalzo and Diane Rothman receive their T-shirts after registering for the 21 miles for the Class of ‘21 challenge.