SWIM A MILE 2009

On Saturday, October 3, 2009, I, once again, participated in the Swim A Mile for Women with Cancer. It is a fundraiser for the Women's Cancer Resource Center in Oakland, California. This year, I raised close to $4000 with contributions from friends and family. I thank all of you who sponsored my swim so generously.

The swim takes place at Mills College in Oakland and goes on for two days. It is both inspiring and sad to participate.

Each year I have more names of people to honor and remember. There is a special wall on which participants can post the names of the people they are swimming for.

My youngest honoree is Janet who was diagnosed two years ago and who has already had a recurrence. Her spirits are great and her determination to live her busy life is awesome. She was there to cheer her mother, Harriet, and me on as we swam in her honor. Here she is by my honor/memory signs.







I shared a lane with Harriet for the swim.



She started a bit before me and paused to greet me as I joined her.



Janet took several "action" photos of the two of us. I especially like this one of us passing one another. I only hope my Walnut Creek Masters swim coaches don't see this and decide to critique my form!!!



At the end of the swim, each participant got a spin on the Cancer Education Wheel. Janet took Harriet's spin and won a prize!



We also posed for pictures.







Then it was time to enjoy lunch. Many local restaurants and caterers generously donate food. The selection changes throughout the two days, but there is always more than enough to satisfy everyone...swimmers, volunteers, fans.







The chips on this platter were especially intriguing. We decided that they were made with flax seed but we could not figure out what the red ingredient was. At any rate, they were great with the guacamole! We think it may have come from Café Gratitude, a live foods café, with several northern California locations.



The Swim A Mile is the only all-swimming fundraising event that I know of in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since swimming is one of my major activities, I am honored to be able to participate. I appreciate that it is a totally non-competitive event..you can swim the mile (72 lengths of the pool), walk it, kick, float, or do whatever suits you. There is always a group, WCRC staff I believe, who walk their mile.



There are volunteer lap counters who keep track of you and who will track your time as well. Of course, there are lots of people there to cheer us on. And, lots of activity too...anouncements as each person finishes, noise makers to cheer on swimmers, music, and just a good time for two days.




For those not familiar with the Women's Cancer Resource Center, it provides FREE resources and support services to women with cancer and to their families and friends. Being diagnosed with cancer is a shock to even the most informed of people. WCRC is there to help them along their journey.

Here are closeup photos of the names of those for whom I swam. In addition to my own personal list of people, I have the names of those for whom my sponsors asked me to swim.






Thanks all of you!