WASHINGTON, D.C. – The District of Columbia Aquatics Club (DCAC) will host the 20th annual Maryland Swim for Life on June 25th in Chestertown, Maryland. Swim for Life is an open water swim competition and fundraising event to benefit Washington, DC-area HIV/AIDS non-profit organizations, as well as local watershed organizations that advocate for clean, local waters.
The Maryland Swim for Life held its first competition in 1991 and was organized by Joe Stewart, a longtime advocate for HIV/AIDs organizations who was inspired to start the swim competition after participating in Provincetown, Massachusetts’s Swim for Life. Stewart said, “It was not a swim defined by competitive or macho values. It was a celebration of diversity and community. It was space where gay people could be open, free and not feel like they had to hide their identity. Drag queens were cheerleading and townsfolk turned out to wish all the swimmers well.”
For the last 12 years, Dawson Nash has been involved with the Swim for Life competition, first as a competitor and then serving as race director for 5 years, said, “the District of Columbia Aquatics Club has hosted the event for 10 years and has helped raise over 200,000 dollars since becoming the host organization. Not only has DCAC raised the amount of donations to local organizations, recent coordinators from the club have also increased the number of competitors of the event through online registration, encouraging swimmers from across the East Coast to participate.”
This year, “DCAC plans to welcome over a 150 competitors from across the Mid-Atlantic region in hopes of raising at least $20,000 for local charities,” said WonKee Moon, 2011 Maryland Swim for Life Co-Race Director. “With HIV/AIDS being an ever-present issue for the Washington region, Swim for Life is a reminder that those individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS are not alone.”
Swim for Life, sanctioned by the United States Masters Swimming, begins and ends at Rolph's Wharf on the Chester River, which is one of the Chesapeake Bay's most beautiful tributaries. Athletes have the choice of swimming 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 miles and must raise a minimum of $100 to participate. Proceeds from the event benefit various small organizations that assist individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS in the DC metropolitan area, along with the Chester River Association which advocates for clean waters in the Chester River and Chesapeake Bay.
Register HERE.
2011 Beneficiaries: Heart to Hand, Pediatric Care, Quality of Life Retreats, the Chester River Association, and the Chester River Valley Ministers Association.
Learn more HERE.
About DCAC: The District of Columbia Aquatics Club (DCAC) is an entirely volunteer-run swim team and 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to promote competitive and fitness swimming for LGBT swimmers and their friends in a team-oriented, professionally coached setting. DCAC, established in 1988, is dedicated to promoting the sport of swimming. With over 150 swimmers, DCAC ranks as one of the largest USMS teams in the Potomac Valley region, is one of the largest 50 teams in the U.S., and is one of the largest (primarily, but not exclusively) gay and lesbian teams in the world. DCAC’s membership includes first time swimmers, as well as experienced competitive swimmers, including FINA Masters World Record holders, and individual & relay USMS Top Ten and All-Americans swimmers. DCAC is a member of both United States Masters Swimming (USMS) and the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics (IGLA). For additional information, visit www.swimdcac.org.
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