The 33rd Summer-long Provincetown Swim for Life - another great story!

The Swim for Life engaged 220 swimmers, kayakers and volunteers across the country, raising $110,000 for AIDS, women's health and the community and held a virtual event on September 12 on Facebook and Provincetown TV. This year, long-time Swim for Life and community volunteer Marianne Clements received the David Asher Volunteer Award and Joe Stewart of Baltimore, MD swam his 30th Swim.

Swim for Life participants hail from North Carolina, California, Utah, Colorado and the northeast and swam in mountain lakes, ponds, swimming pools and bathtubs throughout the summer to raise pledges for the fundraiser. Though far-flung, they have one thing in common, an enduring commitment to this spiral spit of sand and it’s unique and open community. The celebrated Provincetown fundraiser culminated in a successful virtual event in spite of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The tremendous response from our local community and our global reach follows a long tradition of the town responding to needs such as HIV/AIDS, which launched the Swim for Life thirty-three years ago”, stated artist Jay Critchley, director of the Provincetown Community Compact, sponsor of the event.

The Swim for Life beneficiaries include: the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod (ASGCC), Helping Our Women (HOW), Outer Cape Health Services, Provincetown Rescue Squad Association, Lower Cape Ambulance Association, Soup Kitchen of Provincetown (SKIP), Provincetown Schools, The Compact Community Fund, Accessible Provincetown, West End Racing Club, Cape Cod Children’s Place.

Planning for the event followed last year’s swim change from a harbor crossing to a shoreline route, precipitated by the risk of sharks in the harbor, and then, a tropical storm on Swim day. Although the pandemic interfered with the traditional gathering this year, many swimmers swam the route from the Harbor Hotel to MacMillan Wharf throughout the summer.

Top fundraisers include Jim Youngerman who raised over $16,000 and swam in Lenox, MA and on Cape Cod; Hilary McHugh of Provincetown who swam a mile daily from July 31- September 12 and raised over $8,000; Jay Critchley, director of the Swim, who swam for the first time since 1988, raising over $7,000; Barbara Jo Ravelle who swam a mile daily from August 15 to September 15 in Duck Pond, Wellfleet and raised over $4,500; Maura Twomey, an open water swimmer who swam the English Channel in 2015, raised over $4,500, pledging to swim across Provincetown Harbor every month for six months from May to October; Reenie Desabrais of Provincetown, Jon Drew MacClaren of Sheffield, MA and, Kathryn Rafter and Francie Beal of Dallas, TX all raised over or near $3,000. Others joining the $1,000 Club include: Jason Greene of Provincetown and Chris Nagle of Truro, MA who raised over $2,000. Other $1,000 Club participants include: Christine Croteau of Worcester, MA, Laurie M Shields of Sterling, MA, Susan Goldberg of Provincetown, Jane Barber of Provincetown and Breckenridge, CO, Joe Stewart of Baltimore, MD, George Stamides of Burlington, MA, Bill Silvestri of Quincy, MA, and Erik Koper of West Newton, MA.

This year's teams raised over $14,000, with Team Critchley raising $10,000 with Kim Oler and Cece, Anne, Geri and Jay Critchley. Teams include: Team ASGCC, LANES S4L for Casey, Great Pond Mermaids, Infinite Coastline, Moving Violations Motorcycle Club & Friends, Team Truro,  John Hopkins Family, Goldfish, Eastham Mermaids, Team Friends Not Food, Clark Cousins Swim Club,, Harry’s Team Bell, Team Shaughnessy and Walker Family Swim Team.

The organizers would like to thank Amy Davies of Provincetown TV, videographers Mike Syers and Vanessa Vartabedian, Aquasports, CapeAir, Taqwa Glassworks and the Provincetown Art Association and Museum. Business sponsors include: Seamen’s Bank, Fanizzi’s Restauranr, Provincetown Banner, Boatslip Resort & Beach Club, Lobster Pot Restaurant, Farland Provisions, Cape Air, Bay State Cruise, Berta Walker Gallery, Art’s Dune Tours and WOMR 92.1, with support from the Provincetown Visitor Services Board.

The 34th Provincetown Swim forLife & Paddler Flotilla will be held on September 11, 2021. For more information: www.swim4life.org

The Provincetown Community Compact, Inc. (The Compact) was established in 1993 as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization by artist Jay Critchley. It is organized as a community-building and philanthropic organization to support artists and the vitality of the community. The concept for The Compact was to recreate an inclusive, visionary and fully democratic contract with the community, reimagining the original Mayflower Compact, which was signed in Provincetown Harbor in 1620.

The mission of The Compact is to advance the health and cultural well being of the community of Provincetown and the Lower Cape – its people, the natural environment and the economy. Our initiatives include: The Swim For Life, Dune Shack Residencies, our Think-ubator program, Prayer Ribbons and special projects and initiatives.