Swim for Life brought the Provincetown Community Compact to life
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Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla shines through tropical storm
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Provincetown Harbor swim component postponed to 2020; Great Pond Wellfleet swim a success
With a redirected swim route along the Provincetown shoreline due to the risk of seals and sharks in the deep waters off Long Point, a tropical storm slammed the town over last weekend that resulted in the postponement of the Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla’s swimming component for the first time in its thirty-two year history. However, the rest of the weekend activities went on with heightened energy and warmth.The storm held off for the highly anticipated Celebration of Life Concert at the UU Meeting House on Friday night, but was in full force Saturday morning. At the Boatslip Resort, swimmers, volunteers, organizers and supporters braved the rain and wind to register their pledges with the Seamen’s Bank crew, enjoy music by Zoe Lewis, feast at the Mermaid Brunch catered by Far Land Provisions and applaud the awards presented by Swim director Jay Critchley.The Great Pond Satellite Swim of the Swim for Life, the first of its kind, which was held at Great Pond in Wellfleet, was successfully rescheduled the to 1:00 pm on the day of the Provincetown Swim. With reduced wind and grey skies, the swimmers swam the circumference of the pond and were greeted by a small group of supporters at the stairway finish line. Joan Nagle spearheaded the Wellfleet event, with a supportive permit from the Wellfleet Selectboard.Top Swim for Life swimmer fundraisers include:
Jim Youngerman, Lenox, MA $$18,026.00
Jonathan Scott, Provincetown, MA $7,801.00
Gene Landis, Amesbury, MA $6,161.00
Jon MacClaren, Walpole, NH, $5,905.00
Barbara Jo Ravelle, Gainesville, FL $4,515.00
Circle of Honor awardees (those who have swum ten times or raised $10,000), include:
Barbara Ann Morrison, Melrose, MA
Scott Helms, Hull MA
Rob Johnson, Cambridge
Jen Burgos, Wakefield, MA
Raphael Richter was awarded the David Asher Volunteer award for his community activism, including serving on the Provincetown Board of Select, transporting swimmers at the Swim on the Mayflower Trolley and the Funk Bus for years, and providing free transport for townspeople to Orleans to food shop during the Stop & Shop strike last winter. Richter and Circle of Honorees received handcrafted medallions from Christie Andresen of Taqwa Glassworks. The 2019 t-shirt was designed by Vicky Tomayko.Because of a shortfall in contributions due to this year’s challenging circumstances, the Provincetown Community Compact is appealing to supporters to help make up the difference. Beneficiaries
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
The 2019 lead sponsor of the Swim for Life is Seamen’s Bank; media sponsor is the Provincetown Banner. Also, Fanizzi’s Restaurant, the Lobster Pot Restaurant, Far Land Provisions, Berta Walker Gallery, Cape Air, Bay State Cruise, Art’s Dune Tours, WOMR 92.1 FM and. The event also receives support from the Provincetown Visitor Services Board.The 33rd Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla is scheduled for September 12, 2020. Thank you for your support!
Storm Update: Swim for Life swimming component postponed until 2020, weekend festivities continue
/First the seals, then the sharks, and now Dorian. With heartfelt emotion, after much deliberation, The Compact has decided to
postpone the swimming component of the Swim for Life event until next year
. Safety has always been our priority and the expected high winds and seas would be dangerous for both swimmers and kayakers in the water. This is the first time in 32 years this has happened!
Swim for Life weekend activities, however, will go on as scheduled. Let's celebrate our years of community building together!
include:
The Celebration of Life Concert Friday at the UU Meeting House at 8;
Registration and the Mermaid Brunch with Far Land Provisions, music by Zoe Lewis, t-shirts, Prayer Ribbons and the Awards Ceremony, all at the Boatslip, 7:00-11:00am Saturday, regardless of the weather.
There are still limited openings for the Great Pond Swim in Wellfleet (see below).
The Swim has supported crucial services to the year round community since 1988 and the needs remain the same. These environmental challenges are a reminder to us of the importance of a community coming together and carrying on its mission. Please help us to maintain the level of support we have provided to the following organizations:
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
For those wishing to help us make our fundraising goal please
.
We are pleased to present Raphael Richter, a community-minded and Swim volunteer - the Funk Bus, the David Asher
this year at the Mermaid Brunch.
Thank you for your loyal support of Provincetown and the vital year round services this event supports. Hope to see you soon.
Peace,
Jay Critchley
Medallions for Circle of Honor recipients by Christie Andresen of Taqua Glassworks.
Swim for Life, Provincetown Harbor
Registration
Friday, Sept 6, Seamen's Bank, 5-8 pm
Saturday, Sept 7, Boatslip, 7-8 am
At the Boatslip, Saturday Sept 7
The Mermaid Brunch, 9:00 am
Ham and Cheddar Strata with Chives
Spinach, Feta and Sun Dried Tomato Strata
Cauliflower Couscous Salad
Kale and Chick Pea Salad with Lemon-Parmesan Dressing
Fruit Salad
Assorted Cookies
by Far Land Provisions
by Far Land Provisions
Music: Zoe Lewis
Awards Ceremony, 10:00 am
Those unable to attend may bring their pledges to Seamen's Bank, downtown Provincetown, or mail to: The Compact, P.O. Box 819
Provincetown, MA 02657
Great Pond Swim in Wellfleet
Registration
Seamen's Bank, Rt 6, Wellfleet, Friday, Sept 6, 10am - 4pm
Swim Start
Saturday, Sept 7, Great Pond, 7:30 am
The Great Pond Swim is scheduled, weather permitting (please sign up and you'll be notified tomorrow afternoon)
limited to 50 swimmers, 19 spots available)
. This distance is approximately a mile and will encircle the shoreline of the pond.
Thank's to the Town of Wellfleet.
Please sign up in advance for the Great Pond Swim here
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Fundraising, Sign-ups, and other details
It's not too late to support the Swim.
Collect pledges online:
.
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and collect pledges in person.
Consider a
.
Let us know if you have been a Swimmer for
10 years
or
25 years
. There are special prizes and recognition for you.
Thank you for your loyal support of Provincetown and the vital year round services this event supports. See you soon.
Peace,
Jay Critchley
Raphael Richter receives Swim for Life Volunteer Award
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The Provincetown Community Compact has selected Truro resident and community minded businessman Raphael Richter to receive the David Asher Volunteer Award at the 32nd Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla, set for September 7 at the Boatslip Resort, Provincetown. The award highlights his service as a town leader, Swim for Life supporter and his stepping in to provide transport to townspeople to Orleans for grocery shopping during the recent Stop & Shop shut down.Richter is a man on the move. Think Funk Bus, Mercedes Cab, Cape Cab and the Mayflower Trolley. He recently made a move with his family from Provincetown to Truro, headquarters of his fleet of party and mini buses with funky skins and state of the art sound systems. Yes, let’s get the party started!Raphael is a hometown boy whose family’s journey took him to live in several Cape towns as well as Boston’s North and South shores. He returned to finish high school in Provincetown and has dug into the community with passion and creative entrepreneurial vision ever since. Beginning with partner Ricky Macara at Mercedes Cab, he noticed a need for safe and fun group transport and, with the flair of the late Pearlene, created the pink Funk Bus with eyelashes! It was a hit, and the idea spread Cape wide like the flash of an eyelash.Raphael’s community service is exemplary, serving three years on the Provincetown Select Board, with his last year as chair, personally taking up the mantle of the need for community housing. This led to the town’s overwhelming approval to buy a 28-unit condominium complex for workforce market-rate housing. At the Swim for Life, Raphael has provided transport for years for swimmers to MacMillan Wharf for boat transport to Long Point. This year the Swim start will move to the Provincetown Inn beach due to the increased seal population in the deep waters off Long Point and concern for swimmer safety. The Mayflower Trolley is co-owned by Raphael and Michael Glasfeld, owner of Bay State Cruises, a Swim for Life business sponsor.Perhaps the most touching example of Raphael’s sensitivity to the needs of the community was his quick response to the recent Stop & Shop shut down during the two-week union strike. This left townspeople food insecure, many without transportation to the nearest supermarkets in Orleans. The Funk Bus stepped in and provided free daily roundtrip rides to Orleans for anyone in need.Raphael and his wife Vida have a two-year-old son and a girl on the way this fall. Vida is co-owner of the Nor’East Beer Garden in Provincetown. He presently serves on the board of the Community Development Partnership and on the Truro finance committee.The 32nd Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla, a benefit for AIDS, women’s health and the community, is set for September 7, 2019 at the Boatslip Resort and Beach Club. Swimmer, volunteer, boater, kayaker and walker sign up is at the Boatslip Resort, 161 Commercial Street, Provincetown from 7:00-8:00am. Early registration will be on Friday at Seamen’s Bank, Provincetown, from 5:00-8:00pm.The new shoreline Swim will start earlier at 8:00am from the Provincetown Inn to the Boatslip due to the early high tide. The Mermaid Brunch and awards ceremony will follow. The public is invited. Also new this year is a fresh water swim at Great Pond in Wellfleet on the same day.For full details and information go to www.swim4life.org thecompact@comcast.net
Provincetown Swim for Life announces new harbor course
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Provincetown Swim for Life announces new harbor course for the annual fundraiser on September 7; a one-mile shoreline swim from the Provincetown Inn to the Boatslip.After thirty-one years swimming across Provincetown Harbor from Long Point to the Boatslip, the 32nd annual Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla is changing course. The appearance of white sharks due to the increased seal population has created concern for swimmer safety in the deep waters off Long Point. For this reason, the course of this important Provincetown tradition and fundraiser, set for September 7, will move closer to the town’s West End shoreline, from the Provincetown Inn to the Boatslip Resort, 161 Commercial Street. Walkers will also be invited to participate this year as well.Also new for this year is a Swim for Life event at Great Pond in Wellfleet, running simultaneously with the Provincetown event. The Wellfleet Board of Select unanimously approved the permit and waived the fee. The fresh water swim will be limited to 50 swimmers. This distance is approximately a mile and will encircle the shoreline of the pond.With high tide at 6:37 am in Provincetown on Swim day, the event will start at 8:00 am. The new route is a mile swim along the town’s West End Shoreline, engaging neighbors and businesses along the way. Swimmer, boater, kayak, safety boater and walker registration is at 7:00-8:00am at the Boatslip. Transportation to the Swim start will be by trolley, or for those inclined, walking along Commercial Street. There will be early registration for all participants at Seamen’s Bank, downtown Provincetown, on Friday, 5:00-8:00 pm before the Celebration of Life Concert at the UU Meeting House at 8:00 pm.“The Swim was created to honor the pristine harbor, which is the lifeblood of the town. The increased presence of seals and sharks in our waters is a harbinger of changes in the environment. And swimmer safety is paramount,” states Jay Critchley, Director of the Provincetown Community Compact (The Compact), sponsor of the Swim for Life.“These changes continue our celebration of the harbor’s ecology. This is about the resilience of the Swim, the community and the planet,” he added. Rising water temperatures and currents are pushing whales and lobsters north while the town becomes more vulnerable to ocean flooding.This year's t-shirt by Vicky Tomayko is a simple and stunning symbol of the fragility of our environment and the frog’s shape shifting evolution from water to land, reflecting on the transformation of the natural and civic environment in direct and dramatic ways. The 100% organic cotton t-shirt is available at Seamen’s Bank, downtown Provincetown.The Swim for Life ignites a passion for the community from people across the US and beyond who care about the well being and sustainability of the town. The Compact invites everyone, from its business sponsors to the local community, to rally to this reinvigorated event.Anticipating such a change, The Compact Board of Directors has closely monitored this situation for several years, consulting with the Provincetown Harbormaster, the US Coast Guard, the Cape Cod National Seashore, swimmers, boaters and scientists. The change became necessary this year when the Cape Cod National Seashore denied the permit for the Swim start at Long Point. The Compact has long been committed to swimmer safety, including helping with the installation of buoys for tracking shark activity, supporting the White Shark Conservancy and contributing financially to the Woods Hole Group contracted to study shark mitigation.The Swim has learned over the years that creating and nurturing community is its grandest offering. Since 1988 it has raised over $6.5M for year round services and community well being. “The Swim for Life has supported our clients and work from the earliest days of the AIDS epidemic and the Swim’s unwavering assistance helps ASGCC provide life-sustaining services throughout the year. Our gratitude to the Swim for Life cannot be understated,” states Dan Gates, Acting CEO of the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, one of the beneficiaries.Gwynne Guzzeau, Executive Director of Helping Our Women, writes that for 20+ years, the Swim has funded approximately 25% of HOW’s annual budget. “It is a chance to be together in community and to serve women in need at a time in need,” she states.The 32nd Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla, a benefit for AIDS, women’s health and the community, is set for September 7, 2019 at the Boatslip Resort and Beach Club. For details and information about swimming, walking, volunteering and kayaking, and the Great Pond Swim go to www.swim4life.org thecompact@comcast.net
Swim for Life Adjusts Course with shoreline swim; cites environmental changes
/After thirty-one years swimming across Provincetown Harbor from Long Point to the Boatslip, the annual Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla is changing course. The appearance of white sharks due to the increased seal population has created concern for swimmer safety in the deep waters off Long Point. For this reason, the course of this important Provincetown tradition and fundraiser will move closer to the town’s shoreline. Walkers will be invited to participate as well.The tides will require the shoreline swim and walk to begin earlier, with details to be announced shortly. In addition to the Provincetown Harbor Shoreline Swim on September 7, there will be a “Satelite Swim” in Great Pond in Wellfleet, pending approval by the town. This fresh water swim is approximately a mile and will follow the shoreline of the pond.“The Swim was created to honor the pristine harbor, which is the lifeblood of the town. The increased presence of seals and sharks in our waters is a harbinger of changes in the environment. And swimmer safety is paramount,” states Jay Critchley, Director of the Provincetown Community Compact (The Compact), sponsor of the Swim for Life.“These changes continue our celebration of the harbor’s ecology. This is about the resilience of the Swim, the community and the planet,” he added. Rising water temperatures and currents are pushing whales and lobsters north site while the town becomes more vulnerable to ocean flooding.The Swim for Life ignites a passion for the community from people across the US and beyond who care about the well-being and sustainability of the town. The Compact invites everyone, from its business sponsors to the local community, to rally to this reinvigorated event.Anticipating such a change, The Compact Board of Directors has closely monitored this situation for several years, consulting with the Provincetown Harbormaster, the US Coast Guard, the Cape Cod National Seashore, swimmers, boaters and scientists. The change became necessary this year when the Cape Cod National Seashore denied the permit for the Swim start at Long Point. The Compact has long been committed to swimmer safety, including helping with the installation of buoys for tracking shark activity, supporting the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy and contributing financially to the Woods Hole Group contracted to study shark mitigation.The Swim has learned over the years that creating and nurturing community is its grandest offering. Since 1988 it has raised over $6.5M for year round services and community well-being. “The Swim for Life has supported our clients and work from the earliest days of the AIDS epidemic and the Swim’s unwavering assistance helps ASGCC provide life-sustaining services throughout the year. Our gratitude to the Swim for Life cannot be understated,” states Dan Gates, Acting CEO of the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, one of the beneficiaries.Gwynne Guzzeau, Executive Director of Helping Our Women, writes that for 20+ years, the Swim has funded approximately 25% of HOW’s annual budget. “It is a chance to be together in community and to serve women in need at a time in need,” she states.This year's t-shirt by Vicky Tomayko is a simple and stunning symbol of the fragility of our environment and the frog’s shape shifting evolution from water to land, reflecting on the transformation of the natural and civic environment in direct and dramatic ways.The 32nd Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla, a benefit for AIDS, women’s health and the community, is set for September 7, 2019 at the Boatslip Resort and Beach Club. For details and information about swimming, walking, volunteering and kayaking, go to www.swim4life.org thecompact@comcast.net
2019 UPDATE: Swimmer Safety a priority for Swim for Life
/PROVINCETOWN. July 25, 2019. The safety of swimmers is the number one priority of the Swim for Life. It requires a coordinated effort from Swim medical personnel and the Provincetown Rescue Squad on shore, and kayakers, safety boats, the Harbormaster, US Coast Guard, the Center for Coastal Studies and lifeguards on the water to ensure the safety of each and every swimmer. The event is required to submit a Incident Plan permit application with the US Coast Guard that includes safety precautions and back up boats and kayaks to ensure swimmer support.
With the increased public awareness of the growing seal population and the white sharks that prey upon them, the Provincetown Community Compact, sponsor of the Swim for Life, has teamed up with the Chatham-based Atlantic White Shark Conservancy and Rex McKinsey, Provincetown Harbormaster, to increase public awareness of these creatures and assist in researching their behavior, movement and the range of their habitat. A working group has been formed that includes the six towns on the Lower Cape and the National Park.We recently donated $2,000 to the Woods Hole Group that is studying mitigation interventions regarding seals, sharks and humans, due this fall. This follows The Compact’s mission of enhancing the well being of the community, connecting the economy, environment and the culture.In 2016 two receiver buoys, along with a buoy at Herring Cove, were installed to assist in this research - one on the south side of Long Point, and one off the shore of Truro. While these receivers will only record the presence of a tagged white shark in the vicinity, as well as the identity of the shark, the recorded sitings are significant for long-term research purposes. These transmitters do not provide real time information but rather data for scientific analysis. Additional buoys have been installed this summer.
The Compact recognizes there is a risk to swimmers, but the Swim follows the best scientific findings to date. Here is Provincetown Harbormaster’s Facebook posting: “Don't swim, paddle or surf near or play with seals (and they bite); don't swim or surf at dawn or dusk; don't look like a seal (imagine what a surfer and board looks like from under water); stay in groups, and be vigilant”. A recent video by the Conservancy, National Park and the Mass Division of Marine Fisheries is available for viewing. There is a working group of Lower Cape communities and the Cape Cod National Seashore to coordinate education and response.The Center for Coastal Studies, the Provincetown Harbormaster and the US Coast Guard will sweep the harbor for shark sitings on the morning of the Swim for Life, September 7.The 2019 lead sponsor of the Swim for Life is Seamen’s Bank; media sponsor is the Provincetown Banner. Also, Fanizzi’s Restaurant, the Lobster Pot Restaurant, Far Land Provisions, Berta Walker Gallery, Cape Air, Bay State Cruise, Art's Dune Tours, WOMR 92.1 FM and. The event also receives support from the Provincetown Visitor Services Board.The1.4-mile swim across Provincetown Harbor has raised $6.5M for AIDS, women’s health and the community. Organic, 100% cotton t-shirts, design by Vicky Tomayko, are available for sale at Seamen’s Bank, downtown. The public is invited to greet the swimmers on the Boatslip deck on September 7 beginning at 11:00 am, followed by the Mermaid Brunch and awards ceremony. Also join us for the Celebration of Life Comcert at the UU Meeting House on Friday, September 6 at 8pm, produced by John Thomas.If you have a motorized boat, we would welcome your assistance for transportation and safety. For information for swimmers, kayakers, boaters and volunteers, contact: thecompact@comcast.net, and www.swim4life.org Take the Plunge!
Swim returns to environmental roots
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The environmental concern that spawned the Swim for Life is even more urgent today.In 1988 my friend Walter and I were hanging out and swimming regularly at the Boatslip beach – back then there seemed to be time for that, when beaches around New England were closing due to medical wastes washing up. Not in Provincetown Harbor. Across the expansive waters Long Point Light beckoned us to test our resolve by swimming across the sparkling bay. In late August we found a boat to follow us and we arrived at the harbor beach exhilarated. No blue fish nibbled on us as we were warned.We decided to invite others to make this exquisite journey, and the first Swim for Life was created to raise funds for a disease that was ravaging the community – HIV/AIDS.I look back thirty-one years later and think about the evolution of this event and the risks we faced: hypothermia, unprepared swimmers, swimmers swimming in the wrong direction, swimming into a sunfish and a vegetarian basking shark, all seemingly life threatening at the time. And then the sad day when an entangled whale appeared right before the start of the Swim and we were forced to alter the route to start from the Boatslip beach, swimming out half way across the harbor and back. Unfortunately, the whale did not collect pledges.In the mean time, the water temperature of the harbor has increased to an unprecedented 70 degrees during the last couple swims and the seal population has exploded. The white sharks followed. Nature is forcing us to take notice. Climate change is colliding with the town’s economy as whales and lobsters edge their way north for colder feeding grounds. Flooding is the new normal in town and historic buildings are being raised in response to sea level rise.The image for this year’s 32nd Swim for Life, set for September 7, a frog created by Truro artist Vicky Tomayko, was chosen as a symbolic sign of our vulnerability to a transforming climate and our resilience to respond. Frogs are ecological indicators that are sensitive to an unpredictable climate. They breathe partially through their skin and are amphibians – water to land. Our harbor is designated a harbor of refuge. As the Swim for Life returns to its roots and assesses the risks of swimming across the harbor’s 1.4-mile distance, and the town monitors the economic, environmental and cultural effects of global warming, let us embrace and guide the community’s response as we move into unchartered territory. www.swim4life.orgSwimmer and kayakers may sign up here.Volunteers sign up here.
Installation of the Prayer Ribbons at Orlando City Hall Plaza - this Friday at 2 p.m.
/Prayer Ribbons Exhibition returns to OrlandoLuis M Martinez AliceaFor the third year in a row, the Provincetown Community Compact and residents of Provincetown, Massachusetts are honored to share a memorial strand of Prayer Ribbons with the families and the community of Orlando. The colorful ribbons include beautiful messages to recognize the loss of people to AIDS and the 49 Pulse victims.Following the Pulse tragedy, the Provincetown Community Compact remembered the victims at site a special ceremony at Provincetown Town Hall. Each victim’s name and age, which was inscribed on a black Prayer Ribbon, was read aloud and attached to part of the 2,800 Prayer Ribbons accumulated over 29 years at the annual Provincetown Swim for Life.Swim for Life is an annual event where swimmers cross the harbor of Provincetown to benefit AIDS survivors and the community. As part of this event, they incorporate multi-color ribbons hanging out from a cord on the river shore where people write the names of those lost to AIDS to honor them.The Prayer Ribbons Exhibit will run from June 7-16, 2019 at Orlando City Hall Plaza.City residents and visitors are encouraged to join the prayer ribbon community by adding a person to honor and/or a message to a ribbon. A table will be placed in the City Hall Rotunda with forms for people to write messages and mail it to the Provincetown Community Compact.Installation of the Prayer RibbonsFriday, June 7th2:00 p.m.Orlando City Hall Plaza Media Opportunities:Jay Critchley, founder and director of Provincetown Community Compact, a nonprofit organization that created the Prayer Ribbons, will be available for media interviews.Local LGBTQ+ leaders will be also helping us install the ribbons and available for media interviews.Contact to coordinate the interviewsLuis M. Martinez407.246.4128 (office)407.383.2073 (mobile)luis.martinez@cityoforlando.netFor more information: thecompact.org/prayer-ribbons.html
