Courtesy of Joe Russo Sr.

The CCA Marlins swim team gave up a Saturday morning to provide some volunteer help at the Roanoke Rescue Mission Center. Rear row: (top, from left): Coach Johnson, Nathon Ewoldt, Jordon Leipzig, Keith Clark, Salvatore Russo, Joseph McDaniel, Owen B, Dylan Otruba, Amelia Hubach; center row (from left) Katie Campbell, Jill Bair, Gail Adams, Shane Tudor, Katherine Moles, Mark Adams, Lucas Otruba, Alexander Pettygrove, Mackenzie Lingle; bottom row: Nelson Helm, Hannah Tudor, Drew Dillon, Danielle Dillon, Mirenda Gwin.

Carter Center Aquatics (CCA) swimmers were busy in and out of the water through the winter with fast swimming and community goodwill.

In January, about 40 swimmers loaded a bus to travel to Atlanta to compete in the exclusive Eastern Classic Invitational hosted by Dynamo Swim Club, where teams from as far away as Minnesota and Massachusetts came to race.

Standing up to race Olympians such as Katie Hoff, the Marlins made an impressive showing, taking a seventh place team finish and several individual first places.

Two weeks later, the CCA Senior Team took a Saturday morning practice off to volunteer at the Roanoke Rescue Mission downtown.

The team spent two hours helping to organize and clean the entire dining room, the pantries and the kitchen.

The CCA Marlins swim team gave up their Saturday morning to provide some volunteer help at the Roanoke Rescue Mission Center.

"It's nice to give back to the community," said Hidden Valley sophomore Katherine Moles. "We are all so blessed to have to opportunities we do, so helping out at the Mission really keeps things in perspective."

Since then, the team has competed in events including the Gators Valentine Invitational in Roanoke; the Virginia Swimming Southwest District Championships at their home pool at the Carter Athletic Center at North Cross School; and the Virginia Short Course Swimming Championships held at the Aquatic and Fitness Center in Charlottesville March 5-8.