Local Swim Club Hosts 'Fins For a Cure' Cancer Benefit

The following article was submitted to Patch by regular contributor and Patch reader Esme Neely Smith.

The Bay Hills Swim Team is jump-starting its competitive season this summer with a new community service project—the inaugural Fins For a Cure from 8 a.m. to noon June 17.

The in-pool swim-a-thon supports Swim Across America and the cancer research lab the group funds at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins.

The Bay Hills team has taken on this project because it seems as though almost everyone's life has been touched by cancer, according to Swim Across America. Team leaders, talking in the off-season, decided it would be a great idea for team members to swim to raise money for cancer research, prevention and treatment.

With the community joining in, the Bay Hills Barracudas hope to make a difference this summer.

The event is open to all ages and abilities of swimmers from the Bay Hills Swim Team, as well as swimmers from other teams and the community who wish to swim laps and raise funds for this worthy cause.

The six-lane, 25-meter Bay Hills pool in Arnold will accommodate swimmers who want to swim any number of laps. Two lanes will be reserved for team relay swimming.

People who want to register to swim or volunteer for the Bay Hills Swim Team event can do so online at the team's website at www.bayhillsswimteam.com or www.swimacrossamerica.org/fins.

People also can donate directly to the cause. Volunteers are also needed.

“This swim-a-thon gives the kids on our team and in our community an opportunity to get active and raise awareness for such a terrible disease and benefit research in our area,” said Bay Hills Assistant Swim Coach Taylor Smith.

The Boston-based Swim Across America (SAA) sponsors pool and open-water swims around the country to raise money and awareness for cancer research, prevention and treatment through swimming-related events. The organization began with a single event in Nantucket in 1987, which makes 2012 the 25th anniversary of these “making waves to fight cancer” swims. Since that time SAA has raised more than $40 million for cancer research, prevention and treatment.

DRD Pools, which owns and operates the Bay Hills pool, is donating the pool time for this event. All swimmers are eligible for fundraising incentives ranging from T-shirts and SAA towels to iTunes gift cards and Kindles. In addition to swimming, organizers have reserved the Bay Hills Community pavilion adjacent to the pool for games, face painting and more.

Fins for a Cure has also secured two guest speakers for the event. Ellen Roberts, a former collegiate swimmer and now with Johns Hopkins; and Kay Foley, also a former collegiate swimmer and now the program manager at SAA, will be on hand for Fins for a Cure.