Basking Ridge Swimmer's Gear Drive Collects 321 Items For Pools In Need

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — A Somerset County swimmer is growing a project that began with a confirmation service assignment into a broader effort to reuse swim equipment and connect it with programs that need it.

Joe Cridge, a GSCYMCA swimmer and rising junior at The Pingry School, held his third annual Swim Gear Donation Drive this past February at GSCYMCA pools in Bridgewater, Hillsborough, Somerset Hills and Somerville.

He began the project as an eighth grader for a service project for Confirmation in February 2024.

Over three years, the drive expanded from 116 collected items in its first year to 321 items this past winter, according to Cridge.

With support from his club team coach at GSCY, Mary Korey, he began collecting gently used swim gear at the four YMCAs in Somerset County.

The project grew out of a practical problem.

As Cridge and his teammates moved up in age groups, they quickly outgrew gear such as fins, goggles, kickboards and caps.

Cridge said he regularly looked for places to donate those items but could not find a program that would take swim gear, so he started one.

The drive now collects suits, tech suits, swim bags, kickboards, fins, paddles, towel pants, water bottles, sweatpants and sweatshirts.

In the first year, the donated gear went to the Pocono Family YMCA in East Stroudsburg, which had families in need.

Positive feedback from Erika Huber at Pocono Family YMCA encouraged Cridge to expand the effort.

He then emailed and contacted pools in other areas and heard back from The Gateway Family YMCA in New Jersey and Middlebury Municipal Pool in Vermont that they could use swim gear for their swimmers.

To find more donations, Cridge also contacted Jersey Aquatic Center, along with Coach Sam Petersen and Coach Peter Barry.

He also ran a used swim gear drive at his high school.

The effort now operates under the name Gear Up!, and Cridge plans to keep adding donors and pools in need each year.

People interested in partnering can email gearupswimming@gmail.com.

Cridge will connect donors with pools in their area that need gear and will make flyers for collection bins.

Cridge is also seeking younger swimmers to continue the organization after he graduates from high school.

Anyone interested in working with Gear Up! can contact gearupswimming@gmail.com.