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REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR
GREENWICH-STAMFORD
SWIM ACROSS AMERICA JUNE 30 SWIM
Swimmers Make Waves in Fight Against Cancer
Swimmers & Volunteers Welcome
STAMFORD, Conn., - The annual SWIM
ACROSS AMERICA GREENWICH - STAMFORD SWIM, will be held
SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012, and is making a big splash for
cancer research, prevention and treatment. Swimmers of all
levels are invited to participate. Swim Across America holds
numerous swimming events throughout the United States each
year. Swimmers, boaters, kayakers and land volunteers are
encouraged to pre-register at
www.SwimAcrossAmerica.org to reserve their spot or
register a team. There are several different swim options
including a half-mile or a 1.5 mile swim, or a three or
five-mile challenge. This is the sixth year the swim has
been held on the Stamford-Greenwich shores and benefits the
Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT), the nation's only
non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to funding
cancer cell and gene therapy research. ACGT is headquartered
on the Greenwich/Stamford border and serves as the start and
finish line for the Swim. For more information, please visit
www.SwimAcrossAmerica.org , email
Jacque@swimacrossamerica.org or call 203-438-0313.
Swim Across America is currently celebrating its 25th
anniversary of "making waves in the fight against cancer."
While Swim Across America is a national organization, and
hosts dozens of swims from Boston Harbor to under the Golden
Gate Bridge, its roots are firmly anchored in Connecticut
and along the Long Island Sound shore. Darien, Conn.,
resident Matt Vossler, and his lifelong friend and college
roommate Jeff Keith founded the organization in 1987. And,
Janel Jorgensen McArdle, president of Swim Across America,
and 1988 Olympic silver medalist and Pan American gold
medalist, grew up in Ridgefield, Conn., and spent her
summers swimming in
Long Island Sound.
The 2012 Greenwich-Stamford Swim will unite recreational
swimmers, competitive swimmers, Master swimmers, Olympians,
kayakers, boaters and hundreds of volunteers all committed
to pursuing a cure for this devastating disease.
"Last year we had 225 swimmers, plus 120 land, kayak and
boat volunteers participating in the Greenwich-Stamford
Swim," noted Janel Jorgensen McArdle. "This year, we hope to
raise that number to close to 300 swimmers. This is such an
inspiring event that every year, our swimmers come back and
bring their families, friends, co-workers, or a whole team
to swim." Across the U.S., more than 4,000 swimmers, ranging
in ages from four to 78, participate on an annual basis in
the Swim Across America events.
Jorgensen also noted that it is impressive to see how the
swimmers join together to form teams to help with
fundraising efforts. Last year, some teams raised an amazing
amount of money, with top fundraisers including "June's Swim
for a Cure," headed by June Hussey of Tucson, Ariz., with
ten members that raised $55,300! "June's Swim for a Cure"
also included team member and recreational swimmer Richard
Burns of New York, who one year ago from the date of the
2011 Swim, was diagnosed with throat cancer and spent the
year undergoing treatment. Burns spent several months
practicing for the swim, and when he emerged out of the
water, was greeted with cheers and hugs from fellow
teammates.
Jim O'Brien of Wilton, Conn., headed up the number two
fundraising team of "Kicking Cancer for Karen, Chris and
Friends," which had 26 members, including several who swam
the 5-mile and 3-mile challenge courses, and raised an
amazing $35,800! 2011 was the second year Jim O'Brien and
his team swam in the Swim Across America Greenwich-Stamford
Swim. In 2010, Jim and his team swam for Jim's wife Karen
who was diagnosed with cancer. In 2011, Jim's youngest
brother Chris was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer.
Jim's two daughters, Kristine and Caroline, who swam for the
Wilton Wahoos and swam competitively for ten years, also
joined the team; Jim is a recreational swimmer.
The 36-member team "CHEMhOes," made up of current and former
swim and water polo team members from Greenwich High School,
swam in honor of fellow teammate and GHS graduate Brooke
Lorenz. They were the third highest fundraising team in 2011
bringing in a total of $31,900! Brooke swam in her first
ever Swim Across America event in 2010 after graduating high
school; however, her future took a different turn when just
before she was scheduled to start college, she was diagnosed
with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She has undergone successful
treatment and is now healthy and happy to be swimming again
for the third time in the Greenwich-Stamford Swim Across
America event. Brooke is incredibly thankful for events like
Swim Across America that helps fund the kind of treatment
she was able to receive.
"Many of our swimmers are either cancer
survivors or have been touched by cancer in some way -
either personally or by someone they know," noted Matt
Vossler, founder of Swim Across America. "Those that
participate are truly inspirational. With every stroke each
swimmer makes, it's a chance to save a life through the
promise of cancer research and treatment."
Locally, the Greenwich-Stamford Swims have raised a total of
$1 million for the Connecticut beneficiary, the Alliance for
Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT). Nationally, Swim Across America
has raised more than $40 million for cancer research,
prevention and treatment.
Each participant in the half-mile and 1.5 mile swims are
required to raise a minimum of $500 (swimmers under the age
of 18 have a $300 minimum); swimmers in the three-mile
challenge must raise $3,000, and those in the five-mile
challenge must raise $5,000. Volunteer opportunities for
boaters, kayakers and land volunteers are also available.
For more information, visit
www.swimacrossamerica.org
or email Jacque Lang at
Jacque@swimacrossamerica.org
or call 203-438-0313.
Swim Across America Greenwich-Stamford Swim
Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT)
96 Cummings Point Road
Stamford, CT 06902
http://www.SwimAcrossAmerica.org
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