Annual Swim for Hospice a cause close to participants' hearts

On Sunday, August 12, the Muskoka River was awash with purple compassion.

Local swimmers took to the waters between Lake Vernon and the Town Dock to raise funds for Huntsville’s very own Hospice during the seventh annual Swim for Hospice, with participants swimming in honour of loved ones and for a great cause.

Long-distance swimmer Joy Jarvis once again completed a 12-kilometre distance, with eleven swimmers joining her for the last 3km from a dock in Lake Vernon, another 14 swimmers coming alongside at Avery Beach, and nine more jumping in for the final 1km starting at the Proactive Rehab dock on the Muskoka River.

At the Town Dock, family, friends and supporters awaited the swimmers to cheer them in to their final destination.

The MacDonald family has been participating in the Swim for Hospice for the past three years. Siblings Lochlin and Piper are two of the youngest swimmers, completing the swim with their mother Karrie in honour of their father and their papa who both were supported by Hospice Huntsville.

Two 1km swimming partners, Marilyn Parsons, 82 years old, from Dwight and Jill Dunford from Bracebridge have participated in all seven years of the swim. “We swim for hospice because it’s a very good cause and one day we may need it,” said Parsons with a smile after her morning swim.

: Joy Jarvis once again swam 12 kilometres for Swim for Hospice

: The MacDonald family (from left) Piper, Karrie, and Lochlin swam in memory of loved ones

: Friends Marilyn Parsons (left) and Jill Dunford have participated in every Swim for Hospice

Mary Spring, who swam the 2km distance, added that it is very important to have a residential hospice in our own community and that her sponsors were very generous as she tripled her fundraising goal of $500.

Swim for Hospice supports Huntsville’s residential hospice, Algonquin Grace, and end-of-life care, programs and services that are free to Muskoka residents. Its fundraising goal is $25,000 and although the event is over, you can still support Hospice with Create Your Own Swim before September 14, 2018. You choose the distance and the location. Details on how to register and fundraise here.

For more information about Hospice Huntsville, visit hospicehuntsville.com, call (705) 789-6878 or email [email protected].