It’s been 25 years since Swim Across America’s Long Island Sound Chapter, SAA-LIS, started making waves in the fight against cancer, and the charity continues to strengthen with each passing year.
SAA-LIS, which last year raised more than $1 million for cutting-edge cancer research, prevention and treatment through swimming events, will offer eight opportunities to swim and volunteer in Westchester this season, said Chapter President Tony Sibio. The nonprofit will have its first swim at the New York Athletic Club in Pelham on July 7. The other seven events are scheduled between then and August 5.
“This summer marks the chapter’s silver anniversary, and we couldn’t be more proud of all the participants who have helped us raise more than $16 million to help beat cancer,” said Sibio. “Through our events, which began as only one and have grown to eight, we have united recreational, competitive, and Masters swimmers, Olympians, kayakers, boaters and hundreds of volunteers, who are all committed to finding cures and helping those with cancer.”
Sibio noted that close to 1,000 swimmers, some as young as five or as old as 90, have teamed up with 300 volunteers and over 4,000 individual and corporate donors to make the chapter’s annual program a success. “Together we are making a real difference,” he said.
Proceeds from the swims will support immunotherapy research at the Swim Across America Laboratory at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, pediatric oncology research at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian and patient services with Westchester-based Cancer Support Team.
The summer program will encompass seven pool swims, with the option of half-mile and 1-mile efforts, plus an open-water swim course on Long Island Sound that will offer participants the option of swimming 2K, 5K or 10K. The open-water swim, which starts at Larchmont Yacht Club and ends at Larchmont Shore Club, has been recognized by the World Open Water Swimming Association as one of America’s Top 100 Open Water Swims.
Those interested in participating in 2017 SAA-LIS events can register to swim, kayak, volunteer to help, or sponsor a swimmer at swimacrossamerica.org/long_island. Donations can be sent to SAA-Long Island Sound, P.O. Box 217, Larchmont, N.Y. 10538.
“Swim Across America Long Island [Sound] Chapter has made tremendous strides over the past 25 years, but there is still much work to be done. We will never give up until we beat this disease,” Sibio added.
