One Day to the
Charlotte Open Water Swim
September 23rd, 2017
Please read this entire email
Thank you for registering for the inaugural Swim Across America - Charlotte. We just passed $120,000 raised in our first year! We need your fundraising help to get us to our goal before we hit the open water on Saturday! With any swim, we want everyone to be safe. We're sharing important information with you to ensure that goal.
EVENT DAY TIMELINE (as of 9/18)
Lake Norman YMCA
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2:15pm: Volunteers arrive
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2:45pm: Registration/Check-in begins
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3:40pm: Opening Remarks/Safety Talk/Group Photo/National Anthem |
4:00pm: 3-mile start |
4:30pm: 1.5 mile start |
4:40pm: ½ mile start |
5:30-6pm: Swim Finish/Awards
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5:30-7pm: Picnic Dinner and Music
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Registration at the Lake Norman YMCA
Volunteers: Please arrive by 2:00 2:15pm to get your assignment.
You will be asked to sign a waiver and be given a shirt and food voucher before getting your assignment.
Swimmers: Please arrive by 2:45 pm for registration and check in.
Every swimmer must be registered to participate. "Day of" Registration will be allowed if the full $400 fundraising contribution is presented. Registration will close promptly at 3:30pm - no exceptions. The welcome, transition to the beach & safety talk will begin promptly at 3:40pm. Online registration will close on Thursday, September 21 at 5pm.
All swimmers will be asked to sign the "SIGN IN" form at registration and "SIGN OUT" form at the end of your swim. The sign in/sign out process is how we track swimmers.
What to Bring
1. Additional donations (in a sealed envelope labeled with your name/total).
2. Goggles, bug spray, hat, water bottle, sweats and a beach chair if you want. There will be a supervised area to safely store bags once you are changed for the beach. Don’t forget to put your name on your bag!
Fundraising
Thanks for your fabulous efforts so far but don’t stop fundraising! Remember that the fundraising minimum is $400 for all over 18 swimmers. Swim Across America's mission is to host swims to fund life-saving cancer research and clinical trials. Our greater goal is to raise enough money to create true impact in the fight against cancer in your community. We have some great incentives and awards for you to target with your fundraising efforts this week to make this happen! If this is your first time participating or if you just need some tips to be a better fundraiser, click here. It will walk you through the participant center and teach you how to email donors, share on social media sites and download the fundraising app. Take a peek and see where you are on the fundraising leaderboard.
FUNDRAISING INCENTIVES
Every swimmer who participates will receive a Swim Across America cap, towel and tattoos! Raise $1,000 and be a WaveMaker to receive an Under Armour 1/4 zip pullover for your efforts!
FUNDRAISING AWARDS
Top Fundraiser (Under 18/College) - $100 SwimOutlet.com Gift Card
Top 5 Fundraisers - Prizes
Top Fundraising Team Captain - Carefree Boat Cruise on Lake Norman for 8 people
If you have check donations, please turn them in at the swim or mail them to: Swim Across America, 11600 N. Community House Road, Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28277. You can continue fundraising throughout the year to help our cause!
Friends & Families and pre- and post-swim activities
Bring family and friends to cheer for you! While you're participating in the swim, there will be games set up at the YMCA. There is also a playground for young children. Note: the waterfront is closed for non-event swimmers. We'll also have live music and a DJ to keep Swim Across America rocking all afternoon.
Family and friends are also welcome to join at the post-event ceremony immediately following the swim (around 6pm). We will recognize our top fundraisers as well as our top teams for their inspiration. All swimmers and volunteers will receive a complimentary picnic meal catered by Smokey J’s BBQ. Meal tickets are available ($7) for non-participants.
Safety Instructions
Swim Across America makes swimmer safety the most important component of all open water swims. The courses will be clearly marked - here is an updated COURSE MAP. The YMCA Water Safety team will utilize a combination of motorized and non-motorized boats to achieve proper water safety for the race. This will include boats with inboard motors, kayaks, paddle boards, and a jet ski.
All safety personnel will go over procedures for swimmers during the mandatory safety conversation at the beach.
WHEN YOU CROSS THE FINISH LINE BE SURE TO SIGN OUT WITH OUR OFFICIALS AT THE SIGN OUT DESK BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE BEACH.
This is not a race—be sure to have fun while we raise money to fight cancer! Official times will not be kept so "start your watch" if you want your time. We will have a clock you can see on the beach so, if you like, check out when you start and when you finish on the time clock.
Olympians and Special Guests
Swim Across America-Charlotte is excited to welcome these special guests:
Ricky Berens (2008, 2012) - Ricky represented Team USA at the 2008 (Beijing) and 2012 (London) Olympics. The Charlotte native is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, world champion and world record-holder. After graduating from South Mecklenburg High School, he attended the University of Texas at Austin and won a national championship as part of the 2010 Texas Longhorns swimming and diving team.
Tom Beeri (2008) - Represented Team Israel at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Tom also swam at the University of Georgia.
Amy McGrath (1980) - Represented Team USA in platform diving at the 1980 Summer Games. She was an All-American in diving in 1980, 1981 and 1982 at Indiana University.
Ellen Owens (1992) - Represented Team USA in platform diving at the 1992 (Barcelona) Olympics. Owens was a Southeastern Conference champion and All-American at the University of Alabama.
Lou Vitucci (1964) - Represented Team USA in platform diving at the 1964 (Rome) Olympics.
Louis van Amstel - Professional dancer and choreographer who appears on the popular series Dancing with the Stars. Louis is also a Swim Across America Ambassador that is also the creator of the popular dance fitness program LaBlast. We hope you are ready for some creative ways that Louis is planning on getting you warmed up to swim.
Rain/Inclement Weather
Rain is not in the forecast but we have contingency plans in place. If inclement weather becomes an issue for Saturday and we need to cancel or move the event to the pool, we will do so via email by 10:00AM on Saturday. Please check your email for notice.
Directions to Lake Norman YMCA
Lake Norman YMCA, 21300 Davidson St., Cornelius, NC 28031
from Charlotte: Take I-77 to exit 28 onto US-21S (E Catawaba Ave)
Left on N. Main.
Left on Davidson St.
There is ample parking at the YMCA
If you have any questions - please email them here. We can't wait to see you tomorrow and thank you for helping us "Make Waves to Fight Cancer."
See you Saturday,
Swim Across America - Charlotte
www.swimacrossamerica.org
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