Can you swim this far? And for this cause?

Lynbrook’s 14th annual Swim Across America is here on July 28 — and each year seems to blow the previous out of the water.

“It’s definitely grown,” Emily Bergin, the Swim Across America coordinator for Lynbrook, said. “A lot of the new people who come will keep on coming, which is really great. But there’s always a lot of familiar faces.”

Swim Across America is an annual fundraiser for cancer research. The Lynbrook chapter alone, hosted at the Lynbrook Village Pool, has raised more than $195k in 13 years — and this year they’re looking to add at least another $10k to the already impressive number.

To join, participants are encouraged to raise at least $100 and try to swim a mile at the event. The fact that Lynbrook consistently raises thousands for the cause every year shows just how many community members will volunteer their time and money to help others.

Some neighbors truly go above and beyond for the cause. The Wolk family sets their sights on a higher and higher lap goal every year. Last year, siblings Joe, Becca, and A.J. Wolk swam an astounding combined 332 laps. Jason Diaz, 15, has been the top fundraiser for Lynbrook’s Swim Across America for several years in a row, raising more than $1,000 every summer.

Bergin said that to raise money, people typically use Facebook fundraisers and also hold in-person fundraisers like bake sales. When she was growing up, Bergin’s go-to was a lemonade stand. She first joined Swim Across America a decade ago at 10 years old alongside her mother and her mother’s friend, who were and remain very involved with the cause.

“My mom and her friend Kelly Stapleton both have multiple people in our families affected by cancer, so that’s the big motivation for us to participate in something like this,” Bergin said.

She added that when she was a kid, it started as simply a fun family-friendly event. That splash of fun with loved ones is still a huge part of the appeal, she said. But as both she and the program have grown over the years, Bergin has started to understand the true significance of Swim Across America.

“Through the years I’ve understood more what they’re doing,” Bergin said. “Seeing the outcomes they’re getting is really impactful for me. Being able to hear them talk about the research they’re doing and understanding a little bit, and know that we’re doing something important and it’s actually mattering, and furthering cancer treatment plans.”

The money raised by Lynbrook Swim Across America is dispersed to local cancer research centers. Memorial Sloan Kettering, for example, has a Swim Across America lab. The research is largely focused on  progressing immunotherapy, survival rates, and overall quality of life for cancer patients.

“It feels really good to know that what you did is making an impact, and you can help other people,” Bergin said. “It also always ends up being a really fun event.”

To learn more, visit tinyurl.com/LynbrookSSA2023