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Westchester Dives In For 22nd Swim Across America Cancer Fund-raiser

WESTCHESTER, N.Y. -- Having raised more than $12 million over the last two decades, Westchester's Swim Across America Long Island Sound swims will host nine events this summer in its 22nd fund-raising event.

Hundreds of swimmers from Westchester County swim clubs will volunteer to swim this summer for the Swim Across America's cancer fundraisers.

Hundreds of swimmers from Westchester County swim clubs will volunteer to swim this summer for the Swim Across America's cancer fundraisers.

Photo Credit: Swim Across America-LIS

The non-profit, which raised about $1 million last year, will have its first swim at Westchester Country Club in Harrison on July 12 followed by seven more pool swims in Westchester and Rockland counties and the main event Log Island Sound Open Water Swim on July 26.

SAALIS Chapter President Tony Sibio said the volunteer swim teams have been growing each year.

“Last summer we raised approximately $1 million for cancer research thanks to the efforts of more than 1,000 swimmers and volunteers,” Sibio said.  “We have a tremendous group of swimmers who participate every year, and we are very grateful to them and their commitment to finding effective new treatments for cancer. Of course, we are always looking to expand our family of swimmers and transcend last year's record."

The entire program will encompass eight pool swims with the option of half- mile and one-mile swims plus the  open-water swim course on Long Island Sound that will offer participants the option of swimming 2K, 5K or 10-Kilometer swims. The chapter's open-water swim in Larchmont was recently recognized by the World Open Water Swimming Association as one of America's Top 100 Open Water Swims.

"We expect that the course, which enables participants to form teams of friends and families and increases the maximum capacity of participants, while maintaining the highest safety standards, will encourage even greater swimmer participation this summer," Sibio said.

Proceeds from this year’s SAA-LIS will be donated to the Cancer Support Team (serving lower Westchester), the Tommy Palazzo Fellowship for Columbia University and Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital at New York-Presbyterian, The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s Swim Across America and DeMatteo Research Laboratories, and United Hospice of Clarkstown.

The schedule of Westchester area pool swims

July 12  -- Westchester Country Club in Harrison

July 13 -- Chappaqua Swim & Tennis Club in Chappaqua 

July 14 -- Coveleigh Club in Rye (members only)

July 18 -- The New York Athletic Club in Pelham (Tenth Anniversary Swim)

July 18 - Orienta Beach Club in Mamaroneck

July 20 -- Lakeside Field Club in North Salem

July 26 -- Open Water Swim in the Long Island Sound 

Aug. 2 -- Lake Isle Country Club in Eastchester 

Those interested in participating in the 2014 Swim Across America-LIS events can register to swim, volunteer to help, or sponsor a swimmer at the Swim across American link.

Donations can be sent to SAA-Long Island Sound, P.O. Box 217, Larchmont, NY 10538.

 

 

 

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