Rotary and Swim Rotorua are encouraging local swimmers to join an international fundraiser as part of an effort to eradicate the disease of polio from the planet.
Rotary Rotorua Sunrise members James Billing, John Prentice and Don Gunn are organising the Rotorua leg of the international "Swimarathon" which will be held at the Aquatic Centre on Sunday, February 15, from 9am to 2pm.
Swimmers in the event can be sponsored for each length of the pool they complete, and this year the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will donate $2 for every dollar raised, with the proceeds going to the Rotary International End Polio Now Fund.
"The aim is to collectively swim 10,000 lengths of the 50m pool, which is no small feat," Mr Billing said.
Swim Rotorua administration officer Pauline Spear said this year they had offered to bring in a lot of their swimmers, including professional triathletes Sam Osborne and Lewis Ryan, to take part.