Community Corner

Swimmers Cross Long Island Sound to Benefit Cancer Hospital

Launching from Port Jefferson, marathon across Long Island Sound raises money for St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport.

It’s unlikely that while aboard the crossing the Long Island Sound anyone would contemplate swimming between the two communities instead. On July 28 that’s exactly what 225 swimmers will do when they launch from in Port Jefferson followed by a fleet of 110 boats to make the 15.5-mile trek to Captain’s Cove Seaport in Bridgeport, CT.

Of course, these commuters are doing it for a good cause. The event is the culmination of a year-long fundraising process run by the non-profit organization SWIM Across the Sound to benefit cancer patients and their families at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport. It began in 1987, when a swimmer named Jeffrey Keith, who had recently lost a leg to cancer, swam across the Sound alongside his friend Matthew Vossler. That year, the two friends raised $5,000 for the non-profit, and in the process, began a yearly tradition.

“Every year we have returning volunteer boaters who come out to help, and we also actively recruit new volunteers months in advance,” said St. Vincent’s Medical Center Marketing Coordinator Paula Marker before last year’s benefit.

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The non-profit said that this year there are 17 solo swimmers, 40 team relays of four to six swimmers and five two-person relays.

Teams are required to raise at least $7,500, two-person relays pledge a minimum of $3,500 and solo swimmers pledge $1,500. Last year’s event raised more than $400,000. In 2011 SWIM Across the Sound met its goal of $2.6 million.

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Registration is still open for the SWIM Across the Sound. Click here or call the St. Vincent’s Foundation at (203) 576-5451 to fill out an application. To support a swimmer, visit the SWIM website and select Support a Swimmer from the left-hand menu.

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