Category: Fundraising

35 Stories of Impact: Team Carolyn of SAA-Nassau/Suffolk

Posted on Posted in #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, Fundraising, Nassau/Suffolk - Sound to Cove, Top FundraisersTagged , , , , 1 Comment
Carolyn Jaenisch, Caitlin Chestler, Gregory Chestler & Steve Chestler
Swim Across America – Nassau/Suffolk
1 year with Swim Across America
Steve 65; Raised over $100,000 with Team Carolyn

“We are looking forward to joining a community dedicated to fighting cancer, the disease that took Carolyn Jaenisch from us, while simultaneously doing something she loved : swimming.”

Carolyn Jaenisch’s diagnosis of Terminal Adenocarcinoma in July 2021 came as a shock to the entire family. She was an avid swimmer who swam with Long Island masters and Excel Swim Club for the past 21 years on Long Island. When she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer and had her first back operation she was told she would be swimming again in 2 months. Carolyn was all about family and swimming.  

So when her family went looking for a charity event, they saw the SAA-Sound to Cove swim at Pryibil Beach on July 31, 2022, and got in touch with Swim Across America CEO Rob Butcher and local event chair Kevin Shine to learn more and make a plan to participate. Carolyn was so excited to get involved with Swim Across America.

Carolyn sadly passed away in November of 2021, just 4 months after her diagnosis, and before she could witness her family swimming in her honor. Carolyn’s passing left behind her husband, Steven Chestler, 24-year old son Gregory and 19-year old daughter Caitlin; and they are the founders of Team Carolyn for Swim Across America.

This July will be Team Carolyn’s first year participating in a Swim Across America event. “We are looking forward to joining a community dedicated to fighting cancer, the disease that took Carolyn Jaenisch from us, while simultaneously doing something she loved : swimming” says Steve Chestler.  Steve, Caitlin, Gregory and other members of Team Carolyn have rallied together to raise an amazing $100,000 (and counting) to support cancer research and clinical trials. 

“We know she would be honored that she has been supported and loved so much.”

Swim Across America is celebrating 35 years of impact in 2022. SAA has raised $100 million since its inception in 1987 to support cancer research and clinical trials across the U.S. Please contact Jeni Howard at jhoward@jhowardpr.com for media inquiries.

SAA Debuts WaveMaker Hydro Flask Water Bottle for 2023

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Swim Across America is excited to celebrate our top fundraisers with the 2023 WaveMaker gift! Swimmers and volunteers who raise $1,000 or more will receive an insulated 32 oz Wide-Mouth Hydro Flask water bottle.

As part of the WaveMaker club, we want you to show your SAA pride year-round with a Hydro Flask perfect for any occasion. Ideal for everyday and outdoor adventure, the Hydro Flask Wide-Mouth vacuum water bottle packs 32 oz. of hydration, and keeps your beverage hot or cold for hours. Want to take this awesome item home with you? Register today and set your fundraising goal to WaveMaker!

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Support Swim Across America with a Qualified Charitable Distribution from your IRA:

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Make Waves to Fight Cancer while satisfying your required minimum distribution.

What is a QCD?

A qualified charitable distribution (QCD) is a distribution of funds from your IRA (excluding an ongoing SEP or SIMPLE IRA) directly to a qualified charitable organization, such as Swim Across America. Since the gift goes directly to the qualified charity without passing through your hands, the dollar amount of the donation may be excluded from your taxable income up to a maximum of $100,000 annually, with some exceptions. Please consult your tax advisor for information regarding your specific exceptions.

To learn more about QCDs, visit IRS.gov

Am I eligible to make a QCD?

If you are 70.5 years or older, you can make tax-free gifts to Swim Across America of up to $100,000 from your IRA. Your donation will count toward your minimum required distribution.

How do I make a QCD to Swim Across America?

Contact your IRA custodian and request a direct transfer to:

Swim Across America, Inc.
8508 Park Road #389 Charlotte, NC 28210
Tax ID number: 22-3248256

Do not withdraw the funds and make a contribution yourself, or you will have to report the withdrawal as taxable income. If you are requesting the transfer at the end of the tax year, allow enough time for the transfer to complete by December 31. 

Please note: we are not in a position to give formal tax advice, and we strongly advise you to have these gifts reviewed by your own qualified financial or tax advisors.

SAA DEBUTS WAVEMAKER HYDRO FLASK BOTTLE FOR 2023

Posted on Posted in #DefeatCancer, Corporate Partners, Fundraising, Uncategorized, wave makerTagged , , , , , , 1 Comment

Swim Across America is excited to celebrate our top fundraisers with the 2023 WaveMaker gift! Swimmers and volunteers who raise $1,000 or more will receive an insulated 32 oz Wide-Mouth Hydro Flask water bottle.

As part of the WaveMaker club, we want you to show your SAA pride year-round with a Hydro Flask perfect for any occasion. Ideal for everyday and outdoor adventure, the Hydro Flask Wide-Mouth vacuum water bottle packs 32 oz. of hydration, and keeps your beverage hot or cold for hours. Want to take this awesome item home with you? Register today and set your fundraising goal to WaveMaker!

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What’s in Your SAA My Way Swag Bag?

Posted on Posted in #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, Fundraising, UncategorizedLeave a comment

SAA My Way is our new virtual offering where you decide your activity and timeline to help us fight cancer. After you get registered with a $50 self-donation, we’ll send you an SAA Swag Bag to show off your spirit and set you up for #SAAMyWay success. (Note: this virtual participation type is for those that don’t plan on swimming at an SAA open water swim.)

Here’s what you can expect in the mail shortly after you register:

1. Swim Across America Shirt

Enjoy the softest tri-blend around with the popular Swim Across America shirt in the size you select at registration.

2. SAA My Way Toolkit

Learn everything you need to know about how to pick an activity or challenge and how to share and inspire to make sure your fundraising makes the biggest impact!

3. SAA VINYL CAR STICKER & BUTTON

Show your love on your car, laptop, backpack or jacket with the sticker and button we’ll be sending to help you spread the word about SAA!

SIGN UP FOR SAA MY WAY TODAY!

Will You Reach WaveMaker Status in 2023?

Posted on Posted in #DefeatCancer, Corporate Partners, Fundraising, Uncategorized, wave makerTagged , , , , , , Leave a comment

Swim Across America is excited to celebrate 36 years of impact and we want to see you hit WaveMaker status in 2023. WaveMakers commit to hitting a higher fundraising goal and bring that same energy to SAA events! Swimmers and volunteers who raise $1,000 or more will receive an insulated 32 oz Wide-Mouth Hydro Flask water bottle this year.  Register today and set your fundraising goal to WaveMaker!

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The Holidays Come Early With #GivingTuesday and Swim Across America

Posted on Posted in #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, Fundraising, Giving Tuesday, UncategorizedTagged Leave a comment

What better way to make someone feel special this holiday season than making a difference in the fight against cancer in their name and providing them with a special treat! Swim Across America is making it easy for you to do so this Giving Tuesday!

Here’s how it works:

1. MAKE A DONATION

Donate $100 or more by #GivingTuesday (deadline of December 1st). Select a friend or family member to honor with your gift.

2. We Send a HOLIDAY GIFT

Your friend receives a holiday gift filled with chocolates and a card letting them know of your thoughtful donation.

3. YOUR IMPACT

Your donation helps Swim Across America fund cancer research. Your friend will appreciate the goodwill of your gesture.

LIMITED SUPPLY  – ORDER NOW FOR HOLIDAYS!

2020 Swim Across America Highlights: Tyler Roethke and Grant Wentworth Swim the Vineyard Sound and Raise over $100,000

Posted on Posted in #DefeatCancer, #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, Events, Fundraising, SAA Pride, Top Fundraisers, Uncategorized, wave makerTagged , , , , , Leave a comment

In 2020, Swim Across America transitioned from open water swims to fun and exciting virtual challenges in each city. We’re highlighting some of the best ‘Making Waves to Fight Cancer’ stories with Swim Across America this year!

On August 8th, 2020, Swim Across America Nantucket participants Tyler Roethke and Grant Wentworth took their personal challenge to a whole new level by swimming a 10K crossing of the Vineyard Sound! These two accomplished this challenging swim in just under 2 hours and together have raised over $100,000 to support Nantucket Cottage Hospital and Palliative & Supportive Care of Nantucket – simply AMAZING! Way to go Grant and Tyler! Check out these awesome shots captured by photographer Tom Olcott! If you’d like to support these two outstanding SAA swimmers you can do so by going to swimacrossamerica.org/goto/GrantWentworth & swimacrossamerica.org/goto/TylerRoethke.

Fundraise for SAA When You Make Affiliate Partner Purchases

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Our generous Affiliate Partners support the Swim Across America mission year-round. When you make purchases through these stores and portals, SAA receives a percentage of each sale back. You can learn more about how each affiliate partner works below.

If you would like to become an affiliate partner of Swim Across America, contact us at info@swimacrossamerica.org.

SwimOutlet.com/SAA

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Visit SAA’s updated official store at SwimOutlet.com/SAA to get your wetsuit, goggles and swimming gear. First-time customers get an extra 10% off – PLUS a portion of your sale from the official store is donated to                                                          Swim Across America.

AmazonSmile

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When first visiting AmazonSmile, customers are prompted to select a charitable organization from over one million eligible organizations. In order to browse or shop at AmazonSmile, customers must first select a charitable organization. For eligible purchases at AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the customer’s selected charitable organization. Make sure you bookmark the AmazonSmile page as your homepage so all purchases are recorded to give back to Swim Across America!

PayPal Giving Fund

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  1. Search for the charity you would like to support, including Swim Across America! Your gift goes to PayPal Giving Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity. PayPal covers all transaction fees.
  2. PayPal will deliver 100% of your donation to your chosen charity.
  3. PayPal Giving Fund will issue your donation receipt. PayPal will share your name and email with the charity you help, so they can thank you. Or you can remain anonymous if you choose.

Orca

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You can further support Orca and Swim Across America by using the code SAA10 at orca.com to save 10% on wetsuits, gear and more. Now through June 30th, all purchases with this code will result in 10% being donated back to Swim Across America!

Giving Assistant

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Members can choose to automatically donate any amount or percentage of their cash back to the charity of their choice.

1. Shop and Save – Get coupons and up to 2x cash back at 2,497 top brands.

  1. Raise Cash Back Donations – Opt-in to donate 1% to 100% of the cash back you earn to Swim Across America!

Humble Bundle

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Simply navigate to the Humble Store (video games) and then choose the “Charity” tab towards the top of the page. From there you can search and choose which charity you’d like to support through your Humble Store purchases. You can choose which charity you’d like to support, including Swim Across America, with the PayPal Giving Fund!

Ebay for Charity

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Simply decide what causes or charities you want to support—then sell and shop with a purpose. eBay for Charity has partnered with the PayPal Giving Fund to make it easy for sellers to donate 10% to 100% of your item’s final sale price to a certified charity.

1. SELECT CHARITY

  • Seller picks the charity and the donation percentage when listing an item.
2. SELL & SHIP
  • Item sells
  • Buyer pays full amount to seller
  • Seller ships item to the buyer
3. DONATE
  • After the transaction is complete (approx. 21 days), PayPal Giving Fund will automatically collect the donation from the seller’s PayPal account*.
  • Once a month PayPal Giving Fund will combine and deliver 100% of all donations collected for that charity.

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Updated Swim Across America Fundraising Messages for 2020

Posted on Posted in #DefeatCancer, #MakingWavesToFightCancer, #SwimAcrossAmerica, covid-19, Events, Fundraising, Grant, News, Top Fundraisers, UncategorizedTagged , , , , Leave a comment

There have been many requests for sample messages to use in your fundraising efforts during the uncertainty of the current pandemic. Here are some messages created by Swim Across America staff and leading participants that you can share via email, text message, social media, the SAA fundraising app and other formats. 

Message #1

Every 15 min, 50 Americans are diagnosed with cancer. Even during a pandemic, people continue to hear the terrible words ‘you have cancer’. I have joined the Swim Across America family so that I can continue to give cancer patients hope by raising funds to support cutting edge cancer research. If you are able, please support me and my swim by making a donation to my personal fundraising page. Every bit helps and will make an impact in the fight to find a cure. 

Message #2

Most of us know someone who is dealing with cancer, and how devastating it can be both for the person who is ill and for the family.  Cancer touches everyone, and unfortunately during these crazy times, cancer isn’t going into quarantine. That is why I’m STILL making waves to fight cancer with Swim Across America. Since we can’t be together right now, would you instead ‘buy me a drink’ or ‘take me out to dinner’ by making a donation to my Swim Across America swim. The money you give will go toward cutting edge cancer research and make an impact in the fight to find a cure. 

Message #3

The past few weeks have definitely been a challenge for us all, which is why I wanted to send you a quick note to see how you were doing and to share with you on something I am looking forward to. This summer, when we are all hopefully able to come together again, I will be swimming 1 mile in open water with Swim Across America to raise funds to support cancer research. When you have a moment, check out my personal fundraising page to learn more about the event and what the funds will support. I’d love to catch up and hear what you are up to as well. Hopefully you have some fun plans to look forward to later this year too. 

Message #4

I hope you are doing ok in this crazy time. I wanted to reach out to thank you again for supporting my participation in Swim Across America. It really made me smile and feel just a little bit closer during all this isolation. Did you know that you might be able to double your donation by getting a matching gift from your employer? Check with your HR department to see what forms need to be completed or search here to see if your company is eligible for matching gifts. Every bit helps, so thank you for checking with your employer for a match! 

Message #5

I’ve been thinking about you and your family during this difficult time and wanted to reach out to see how you were doing. I’ve signed up to participate and fundraise to support cancer research with Swim Across America this year and they’ve been sharing these inspiring stories about dealing with uncertainty right now that I thought you might enjoy.  I hope this brings a little hope to your world right now. I can’t wait until we can get together again soon.

If you have any great messages you think other SAA participants can benefit from using, you can share with us at info@swimacrossamerica.org

2015 Swim Across America event, Day 2 - Nantasket Beach.