25th Swim for Life and Paddler Flotilla

Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla celebrates its 25^th anniversary with a record-breaking event; 404 swimmers, 100+ boaters and 150 volunteers raise over $200,000 for AIDS, women’s health and the community; Joy Mc Nulty receives the David Asher Volunteer Award; Proclamations received from the Town of Provincetown and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts..PROVINCETOWN, MA. Celebrating its twenty-fifth year of fundraising for AIDS, women’s health and the community, the Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla had a record-breaking event last Saturday with 404 swimmers from as far away as Alaska, 100+ kayakers and boats on the water, and 150 volunteers. The oldest swimmer was Joan Nagel, 78, of Eastham, MA, and the youngest was Gabriella Martinez, 10, of Belchertown, MA. Over $200,000 was raised under breezy, sunny skies and choppy but warm water.The Celebration of Life Concert, the night before the Swim, produced by John Thomas, set a rousing and emotional tone for the weekend event, which benefits: the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, Helping Our Women, Outer Cape Health Services, Provincetown Rescue Squad, Lower Cape Ambulance, Soup Kitchen in Provincetown, the Academy at Provincetown School and The Compact Community Fund.Business sponsors include: the Provincetown Banner, Boatslip Resort, Far Land Provisions, Fanazzi’s Restaurant, Seamen’s Bank, the Lobster Pot Restaurant, the Crown & Anchor, Mussel Beach Health Club, Harbor Hotel and Marc Jacobs. The Swim is also funded in part by the Provincetown Tourism Fund.Top fundraisers, once again, were Shawn McNulty, with Provincetown’s Team McNulty members Kirby Nichols and Alex Bryant, raising $22,000, and Joshua Dieffenbacher of Brooklyn, NY at $17,000.The annual David Asher Volunteer Award was presented to Joy McNulty, owner of the Lobster Pot Restaurant and longtime Swim for Life volunteer and sponsor, as well as a board member of several community organizations. Other highlights were the presentation of resolutions to Jay Critchley, Director of the Swim for Life and the Provincetown Community Compact, from the Town of Provincetown and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts honoring the event on it 25^th anniversary and Critchley for his community leadership and his contributions as a multi-media artist.Special handcrafted medallions by Christie Andresen were awarded to new Circle of Honor members - those who have swum ten times or raised $10,000. Awardees include: Joshua Dieffenbacher, Brooklyn, NY; Jim Chiudioni, Needham, MA; Claire Levine, Arlington, MA; Georgia Neill, North Truro, MA; Mark Bastian, Boston, MA; Joel Stahl, Larkspur, CA; Harry Arnini, West Hartford, CT; Sheilagh Mulderig, Roslindale, MA; Katie Quish, Hartford, CT; and Walter Greeley, Hyannis, MA.Water safety and medical support were provided by the event’s medical team, headed by George Libone, and the Provincetown Rescue Squad, Provincetown Harbormaster, Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, Cape Cod National Seashore and the US Coast Guard, along with the 100+ kayakers and safety boaters.The fastest swimmers across the 1.4-mile harbor were Craig Milan of Miami and Truro, MA at 31.03, and Katie McCully of Eastham, MA with a time of 31.03.The 26^th Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla will be held on September 7, 2013. For more information go to www.swim4life.org or email at thecompact@comcast.net.