Swim Across America

open water swimming event in Long Beach, California]]Heather Petri at the Nantasket Beach Swim in Hull, Massachusetts]]Michael Phelps who also organizes the BREAKOWT open water swimming training sessions]]World Open Water Swimming Association for its WOWSA Awards, a recognition of outstanding men, women, performances and offerings around the globe]] noun - Swim Across America, Inc. (SAA) is dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research, prevention and treatment through swimming-related events.

Participation

With the help of over 1,500 volunteers nationwide in the USA and nearly 5,000 swimmers including past and current Olympians, SAA has raised over US$41 million to help find a cure for cancer through athleticism, community outreach and direct service.

Since 1987 SAA has grown to hold dozens of events all over the country, each with its own distinct personality. From San Francisco to Boston Harbor, Swim Across America began as a grassroots organization with events developing organically. Now, those events raise hundreds of thousands of dollars - and money raised is still given to local beneficiaries which happen to be some of the best in the world. Its motto is Make Waves to Fight Cancer.

Community

The SAA community is made up of swimmers, friends, parents, sons and daughters, teachers, coaches and the well - meaning. Many of its most loyal supporters aren't swimmers, but honor family and friends by donating, volunteering, or by helping Swim Across America raise money in its continued effort to find a cure.

Honors

Swim Across America is nominated for the 2015 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year by the World Open Water Swimming Association.

Leadership

Its board members include Hugh Curran, Bob Coakley, Pam Ryan, Matt Vossler, Evan Vosburgh, M.D., Rob Butcher, Jean Fufidio, Jack Salerno, Kevin Shine, Doug Towne, Burt Zweingenhaft. Its Scientific Advisory Committee includes Evan Vosburgh, M.D., Luis Diaz, M.D., and Alan Miller, M.D., Ph.D. Its CEO is Rob Butcher

BREAKOWT

BREAKOWT are intensive, 3-hour instructional sessions for pool swimmers who want to take on the challenge of open water swimming, including those organized by Swim Across America. The sessions are taught in the pool by coaches from Michael Phelps Swimming. The courses include training in sighting, stroke mechanics, breathing techniques, and dealing with the dynamics of open bodies of water.

Swim Across America Events

1. California - San Francisco Bay Open Water Swim on 29 September 2012
2. California - Swim Across America Long Beach on 23 September 2012
3. Connecticut - Stamford Open Water Swim on 30 June 2012
4. Florida - Tampa Bay Open Water Swim on 5 May 2012
5. Florida - Ozzie's Swim to Fight Cancer on 25 February 2012
6. Georgia - Atlanta Open Water Swim on 17 September 2016
7. Illinois - Chicago Open Water Swim on 4 August 2012
8. Massachusetts - Nantasket Beach Swim on 14 July 2012
9. Massachusetts - Boston Harbor Swim on 13 July 2012
10. Massachusetts - Boston Team Relay Challenge on 21 April 2012
11. Missouri - St. Louis Open Water Swim on 27 August 2016
12. Maryland - Raider's Rally Against Cancer on 14 January 2012
13. Maryland - Baltimore Open Water Swim on 23 September 2012
14. Maryland - BREAKOWT on 17-18 August 2013
15. Maryland - Baltimore Pool Swim on 23 September 2012
16. North Carolina - Swimming the Distance for a Cancer Cure on 20 May 2012
17. New Jersey - Holmdel Pool Swim on 30 January 2012
18. New York - Saxon Woods Pool Swim
19. New York - Westchester Country Club Pool Swim
20. New York - Brookville Pool Swim
21. New York - Hamptons Open Water Swim on 7 July 2012
22. New York - Hempstead Pool Swim
23. New York - Jericho High School Pool Swim
24. New York - LIAC Pool Swim
25. New York - Lynbrook Pool Swim
26. New York - Plandome Pool Swim
27. New York - Rockville Pool Swim
28. New York - Sound to Cove Open Water Swim on 11 August 2012
29. New York - Swordfish Beach Club
30. New York - New York Athletic Club Pool Swim
31. New York - Chappaqua S&T Club Pool Swim
32. New York - Germonds Clarkstown Pool Swim
33. New York - Coveleigh Club Pool Swim
34. New York - Lake Isle Pool Swim on 4 August 2012
35. New York - Long Island Sound Open Water Swim on 28 July 2012
36. New York - Lakeside Pool Swim on 22 July 2012
37. New York - Orienta Beach Club Pool Swim on 21 July 2012
38. Rhode Island - Rhode Island Open Water Swim on 8 September 2012
39. Tennessee - Nashville Open Water Swim on 18 August 2012
40. Texas - Dallas Open Water Swim 9 June 2012
41. Virginia - Making Waves for Cancer Pool Swim on 29 January 2012
42. Washington - Seattle Open Water Swim on 8 September 2012
43. Washington - BREAKOWT on 7-8 September 2013
44. Wyoming - Dolphins Pool Swim

Mission

Swim Across America is dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research, prevention and treatment through swimming related events. With the help of hundreds of volunteers nationwide and past and current Olympians, SAA is helping find a cure for cancer through athleticism, community outreach and direct service.

History

Founded in 1987, Swim Across America is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research, prevention and treatment through a variety of swim-related fundraising events.

Despite losing one of his legs to cancer, SAA Co-founder Jeff Keith started the organization in 1987 with a single open water even in Nantucket, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

SAA has raised over $40 million and has grown to hold dozens of events across the country.

Beneficiaries

The Swim Across America Laboratory at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York), The Swim Across America Laboratory at the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center (Illinois), the Swim Across America Lab at Johns Hopkins (Maryland), Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (Connecticut), Columbia Presbyterian Children's Hospital (New York), Dana Farber Cancer Institute [Perini Quality of Life Clinic] (Massachusetts), Mercy Medical Center (New York), Cancer Support Team (New York), The Children's Hospital at Montefiore (New York), Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (New York), Fighting Chance (New York), University of California San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital (California), Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute (California), Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (Washington), Women & Infants (Rhode Island), Rush Cancer Center (Illinois), Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center (Texas).

Swimmers

SAA Swimmers range in age from 6 to 74 and include recreational swimmers, masters swimmers, competitive swimmers and Olympians. Families and friends often swim together or in honor of a loved one, for fun, to train, or just to make a difference.

SAA has attracted the involvement of many Olympic swimmers including Michael Phelps, Craig Beardsley, Rowdy Gaines, Steve Lundquist, Chris Jacobs, Kim Linehan, Jill Sterkel, Summer Sanders, Leah Loveless, Geoff Gaberino, Sippy Woodhead, Janel Jorgensen, Chris Cavanaugh, Teresa Andrews, Jenny Thompson, Jeff Rouse and Ben Wildman-Tobriner.

Location

One International Place, Suite 4600 Boston, MA 02110, U.S.A.
Website [www.swimacrossamerica.org www.swimacrossamerica.org]
Telephone +1 888.SWIM.USA
Email info@swimacrossamerica.org

2015 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year Nominees

Swim Across America for the 2015 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year by the World Open Water Swimming Association.

1. Axis Buoy by FINIS (U.S.A.)
2. Best Places To Swim by Orca (New Zealand)
3. Chillswim Coniston by Chillswim (Great Britain)
4. Find A Way by Diana Nyad (U.S.A.)
5. IOLITE by Stephen Holm, Raymond Rogers, Justin Peck (U.S.A.)
6. Lake Geneva Swimming Association by Ben Barham (Switzerland)
7. Madswimmers Charity Swims by Jean Craven (South Africa)
8. Samsung Boğaziçi Kıtalararası Yüzme Yarışı (Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim) by the National Olympic Committee of Turkey (Turkey)
9. Sting No More™ by Dr. Angel Yanagihara (U.S.A.)
10. Swim Across America (U.S.A.)
11. SwimCross (Switzerland)
12. SwimEars® by Hans Henrik Heming (Denmark)
13. Swimmit by Ivan Peralta (Spain)
14. SwimTrack by Evan Morrison (U.S.A.)
15. WEST (Water World Swimming Therapy) (Israel)
16. World Ice Swimming Championships (Russia)

2015 WOWSA Award Nomination

Swim Across America (U.S.A.)
Swim Across America continues to power on, making waves in the charity swim community since 1987. The volunteer-supported organization, led by Janel Jorgensen McArdle and engineered by a passionate army of donors, forges on as it continues to improve and expand its events and domestic and international offerings. The non-profit group engaged with 53,437 donors and hosted dozens of events for 7,191 participants that generated US$6.27 million in donations in 2015. These funds support dozens of cancer research institutions and programs from coast to coast. For its continuous growth ever so selflessly and innovatively, for donating millions of dollars for cancer research, prevention and treatment, and for instigating a powerful response from the swimming community to fight cancer in a respectful and joyful manner, Swim Across America is a worthy nominee for the World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year.

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