Dear Friends of the Swim for Life,
Swim headquarters is a flurry with activity--the ribbons have arrived, the t-shirts are all over town, the Swim caps are expected this week and the harbor water is beckoning. The town is ready for your spirited arrival.
Just a reminder, please note that the Swim is starting from Long Point at 10:30AM (instead of 11AM), and at low tide. The incoming tide will be with you on your way to shore.
See you September 6.
Peace,
Jay
PROVINCETOWN'S HOMETOWN SWIM
It's not surprising that Provincetown is considered "hometown" to countless people who have lived, worked or visited here over the years. Whether townie or tourist - or yearrounder, resident, part-time resident, summer visitor or worker - all share a strong and sometimes possessive connection to this spiral spit of sand.
The Swim for Life - September 6 will be 21 years - is an event that brings visibility to this confluence of harbor, harborside and overlapping histories. It is a gathering of the Provincetown diaspora, a spirtual home for many.
For native daughter Joanne Roderick Belmore and her 14-year-old daughter Savannah, the event is an opportunity to support community health services and the challenge of swimming across Provincetown Harbor, an idea she never thought of until the Swim for Life was created. Now living in West Yarmouth where her daughter will enter Dennis-Yarmouth High School this fall, Joanne, a nurse, has strong family ties to the community and visits here often, where her two other children hang out at the West End Racing Club.
At the other end of the state in the Berkshires, Jim Youngerman arose on the day of the Swim last year, looked across Laurel Lake in Lee, spontaneously dove in and swam over and back - about a mile and a half - "a parallel universe fresh water Swim for Life" he wrote in a letter. After the swim he contacted his friends and sent in $61 in pledges. "Parallel" swims such as this have occurred in Florida, California and New York City over the years with folks who were unable to be present but wanted to paricipate in this unique Provincetown tradition. Jim's connection to the Cape tip goes back to the 1960s. He will swim again this year, where, he's not sure. Stay tuned.
This year's event on Saturday, September 6, will once again be held at the Boatslip Resort, 161 Commercial Street. Swimmer registration begins at 9:00 am, boaters and kayakers at 8:30 am. The public is invited to greet the swimmers beginning at 11:00 am, followed by the Mermaid Brunch on the Boatslip deck at noon. Entertainment will be provided by Magic of Steel, followed by award presentations. The 15th annual Celebration of Life Concert, produced by John Thomas is association with the Swim, will be held at the Meeting House the night before at 8:00 pm. Prayer Ribbons, which commemorate both those who are living and deceased, will be available to the public at both venues. All events are free and open to the public.
Business sponsors include: the Provincetown Banner, the Boatslip Resort, Paul Mitchell, Far Land Provisions and New England Blade. The event is also sponsored in part by the Provincetown Tourism Fund.
Bailey Bob Bailey Swim for Life t-shirts, which are 100% organic cotton, are available at Venture Athletics at Whaler's Wharf, the AIDS Suport Group at the Firehouse next to Town Hall, at artSTRAND at 494 Commercial Street, and at weekend events.
This quintessential community tradition raises funds for the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, Helping Our Women, Outer Cape Health Services, Provincetown Rescue Squad and Lower Cape Ambulance.
For registration forms for swimmers, paddlers, security boaters, volunteer and sponsorship opportunities or to make an online donation, contact: Swim for Life, P.O. Box 819, Provincetown, MA 02657, 508-487-1930, email,
thecompact@comcast.net, and at its website,
www.swim4life.org.
