FAIR OAKS, CA (MPG) – On Wednesday, July 27, the Fair Oak Swim Team’s trailer was stolen with all the club’s equipment amounting to almost $30,000 inside.

The non-profit organization’s stolen trailer was recovered days later in Rio Linda, but by that point, the trailer was “damaged beyond repair” with mostly everything gone, according to the GoFundMe page that was created following the robbery. Per the GoFundMe, all the remaining contents were destroyed and disposed of.

“This is a total loss for our nonprofit swim team,” the Fair Oaks Dolphin Board wrote on the GoFundMe page. “We were starting to dig out of the hole left by a canceled swim season in 2020 and a limited swim team in 2021. Our team needs help to recover from this loss.”

According to the GoFundMe, items that need to be replaced following the robbery include but are not limited to: Newly purchased pop-up tents ($7,000), audio equipment ($3,000), backstroke flags and poles ($500), and miscellaneous equipment that amounts to $5,500. The miscellaneous equipment includes: Extension cords, team parent aprons, a USA flag, tables, chairs, stopwatches, ribbons, a printer, paper, tarps and containers.

“We are very sad to share that Isadora’s swim team has lost the team trailer with all our team equipment,” Facebook user Vanessa SH wrote on the social media website. “The trailer was stolen on the night of our award ceremony, Wednesday, July 27th and all equipment that our nonprofit team has worked hard on fundraisers and hard work of our coaches and swimmers thru the years to purchase is now gone!”

The GoFundMe page, organized by Fair Oaks Dolphin Board members Melissa Serafini, Michelle Forbess, Shannon Butler and John Seubert, was created on July 28, and has raised over $13,000 of the $30,000 goal as of Monday morning, August 1.

“This team has meant so much to our community and to myself," Dolphins head coach Jack Solt told the American River Messenger via text message. "I started as a swimmer on the team when I was 6-years-old and now I’m the head coach of the program at 24-years-old. My fellow teammates and I come back every summer to put on a season for these kids and we can’t fathom the thought of not having a program anymore.

"We are extremely grateful to our families and community for stepping up and helping out, but unfortunately we are still a long ways away, but hope that we can work hard enough to be financially ready to have a season this upcoming summer.”

For more information about the Fair Oaks Dolphins Swim Club, visit their website at www.fairoaksdolphins.org.