THE 20th PROVINCETOWN SWIM FOR LIFE & PADDLER FLOTILLA ATTRACTS 335 SWIMMERS;
AN ESTIMATED $170,000 RAISED;
WAYNE RYERSON RECEIVES DAVID ASHER VOLUNTEER AWARD; WOMR 92.1 FM BROADCASTS EVENT
LIVE AND ONLINE.
A balmy, breezy late summer day with seasonally warm, choppy water greeted a record
335 swimmers in Provincetown Harbor on Saturday for the 20th annual Swim for Life
and Paddler Flotilla. The 1.4 mile open water swim from Long Point Lighthouse
to the Boatslip Resort raised an estimated $170,000 for AIDS, women’s health,
youth and the community. Beneficiaries include Helping Our Women, the AIDS Support
Group of Cape Cod, Outer Cape Health Services, Lower Cape Ambulance, Provincetown
Rescue Squad and Cape and Islands Gay Straight Youth Alliance (CIGSYA).
Highlights of the weekend included live and online broadcast of the event on community
radio station WOMR 92.1 FM, the 14th annual Celebration of Life Concert produced
by John Thomas at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House, the post-Swim Mermaid
Brunch with Zoe Lewis, and awards presentations with Town Moderator Mary Jo Avellar
and Town Manager Sharon Lynn.
Once again a large contingent fro Wellesley High School swim teams participated
and energized swimmers with several cheers. There were also contingents from LANES
of Boston, the YMCA of Worcester, Philadelphia, and swimmers from across the country.
Sponsors of the event include the Provincetown Banner, Paul Mitchell, Far Land
Provisions, Boatslip Resort, ArtsEditor.com and In Newsweekly, with support from
the Provincetown Visitor Services Board.
Longtime Provincetown resident and Swim volunteer Wayne Ryerson received the David
Asher Volunteer Award for his commitment to community service, including chairmanship
of the Provincetown Soup Kitchen. Paul Asher, on behalf of the Asher Family, presented
a donation to the event in his brother David’s memory.
Top Swim for Life fundraisers include, once again, Kathryn Rafter and Fancey Beall
of Provincetown and Dallas at $15, 370, and Shawn and Nicole McNulty of Provincetown
at $13, 500. Other top fundraisers include: Paul Mast of Waldwick, RI at $8,420;
Harry Arnini of West Hartford, CT, the oldest swimmer at 86 – who swam along
with his daughter and granddaughter – at $3,805; Victor Pardi of Provincetown
at $3,095; Ed Moore of Boston at $2,650; Gene Elizabeth Landis of Amesbury, MA
at $2,250; Roberto Caldera of Boston at $2,025; and Dina Barker of New York City
at $2,005.
Approximately sixty swimmers who raised over $500 were given a signed poster of
Susan Baker’s 2007 Swim for Life design. Prizes from local businesses were
awarded to $1,000 Club members and the Circle of Honor inductees – those
who have swum ten times or raised $10,000. These include: Kevin Batt of Jamaica
Plain; Merrill Hilf of Philadelphia; Dave Pike of Wellfleet; Barbara Suprenant
of Worcester; Catherine Kroeger of Brewster – the oldest female swimmer
at 81; and Jim Seligman of Boston. The top finisher and one of the youngest swimmers
at 14 was Theo Coyne of Iowa City who clocked in at 31:18. The top female swimmer
was Nauset High School swim coach Katie McCulley of Eastham at 32:41.
Assisting in the safety of the swimmers were the Provincetown Rescue Squad, the
Provincetown Harbormaster, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Cape Cod National Seashore,
a lifeguard contingent, dozens of kayakers and motor boats and the Swim for Life
medical team.
The Swim for Life is produced by Jay Critchley, director of the Provincetown Community
Compact, a non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance the arts and well
being the Provincetown community and the Lower Cape. The Compact also manages
the C-Scape Dune Shack and Fowler Dune Shack residency programs and acts as a
fiscal sponsor for grass roots community projects. The 2008 Swim for Life will
be held on September 6. Contributions are still being accepted online or sent
to: Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla, The Compact, P. O. Box 819, Provincetown,
MA 02657. www.swim4life.org
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