Swimmer reads the names on Prayer Ribbons lining the Boatslip deck Prayer Ribbons continues as a Swim for Life tradition Over the course of seventeen years the Swim for Life has created a number of traditions as the event grew and evolved. For instance, the crowd at the Boatslip finish line remains steadfast to cheer the last swimmer out of the water, who in 1999 clocked in at 3:05:49. In the spirit of this non-competitive event, the last swimmer receives a free massage. The Prayer Ribbons are such a tradition. They were initiated in 1993 to provide a dramatic visual witness to the swimmers as they cross the harbor from Long Point to the Boatslip, each with his or her own personal images, hopes and fears. The public is invited to write messages or the names of those they love and wish to celebrate in their lives on a six-foot long colored ribbon ? some who may have died of AIDS or breast cancer. Messages are varied and personal: “Prayer for the safety of all swimmers, and no war – Paula”; “Sally, thank you for your life”; “Uncle Tony”; Brian, keep living”; “Port Authority Police 9/11/01”; “Robert – as always your spirit continues.” This is a unique way for the community to honor the living and the spirits of the dead. The ribbons collectively commemorate the devastation that AIDS has done to our community, but they also challenge us to live our lives more fully and joyfully. They create a visual statement about Provincetown as a community, its contradictions, its conflicts, its possibilities. From the lofty ceiling of the Meeting House at the Celebration of Life Concert the night before the Swim, to the deck of the Boatslip Resort and across Commercial Street at Town Hall, the inscribed ribbons will once again be a dominant visual presence at the Swim for Life weekend. The public is invited to add to this living community tradition. The 18th Annual Provincetown Harbor Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla, a fundraiser for AIDS, women’s health and youth, is scheduled for September 10, 2005. This year’s event will include the traditional Friday night Celebration of Life Concert at the Meeting House presented by John Thomas, and the post-swim Mermaid Brunch at the Boatslip Resort. The Pool Splash will run concurrently for those who choose to swim in a pool or are “harborly-challenged.” The second annual Provincetown Harbor Lights, created by Ewa Nogiec, planned for dusk, will conclude the weekend. The 2005 t-shirts, designed by Sally Brophy, are available at Venture Athletics Outdoor Shop, 306 Commercial Street, Unit 3. Beneficiaries of the event include Helping Our Women, the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, Outer Cape Health Services, Cape and Islands Gay Straight Youth Alliance and the Provincetown AIDS History Project. Sponsors to date include the Provincetown Banner, Mike's Movies/Boston, Paul Mitchell, the Boatslip Resort, Far Land Provisions, Provincetown Visitor Services Board and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The Swim for Life is produced by the Provincetown Community Compact, Inc. Registration on September 10 for kayakers and safety boaters begins at 8:30 am at the Boatslip Resort beach, 161 Commercial Street, with swimmer registration on the deck at 9:30 am. Swimmers will be transported to Long Point for the 11:00 am start. The public is invited to cheer swimmers at the finish line beginning at 11:30 am, followed by the Mermaid Brunch at noon on the Boatslip deck. For pledge forms and volunteer, Pool Splash, or Provincetown Harbor Lights information, or to make a contribution, contact: thecompact@comcast.net, 508 487-1930, www.swim4life.org, or write, Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla, P.O. Box 819, Provincetown, MA 02657. Friday Sept 8 8:00 PM Celebration of Life Concert @ Universalist Meeting House Saturday Sept 9 8:30 - 10:30 AM Kayak / Paddler Flotilla Registration @ Boatslip Resort 9:30 - 10:30 AM Swimmer Registration @ Boatslip Resort 11:00 AM Swim for Life Begins from Long Point 11:30 AM Public Greets Swimmers 12:00 - 3:00 PM Mermaid Brunch @ Boatslip Resort Sunday Sept 10 Starting at dusk Provincetown Harbor Lights at MacMillan Wharf