Bridging The Straits of Mackinac Together!

Written by 5 Healthy Towns Foundation staff

John, Grass Lake ~ I started swimming in the open water three years ago after retiring. I swam in a relay team around Mackinac Island (2-3 miles) for the past 2 years. This year, I thought I was ready to take on the next challenge of the Bridge Swim. Big bodies of water pose challenges to swimming including chop, rollers, and currents. You just hope that the severity or intensity of these is not very high when you swim.

Carol, Manchester ~ I have spent a lifetime honoring the beauty of Michigan and Canadian waters. In my youth, I was a competitive kayaker, and before me, my mother was a scuba diver. When Chelsea Wellness Center opened, I began to swim indoors. But the opportunity to complete the Mackinac Bridge Swim for the third time with friends this year was both challenging and inspirational. Surprisingly, I even got a bit seasick. But I would do it all over again. Thank you to my support team, John, Kelley, Bruce, Roy, and Ed.

On a sunny day in July, the Mackinac Bridge Swim hosted over 200 swimmers in open water to build community and raise funds for first responders in Michigan. For the first time, the channel was closed to all freighter traffic and other motorized boats to increase safety and give swimmers more peace of mind. As each swimmer teamed up with their swim buddy, they jumped in at 7 a.m. and completed their swim in under 3 hours. At the end, swimmers gathered to celebrate their personal and community victory.

Preparing for an open water swim is no easy feat, especially for a challenging 4.5-mile race across the Straits of Mackinac. For six members of Chelsea Wellness Center, preparation was both a solitary process and a team effort. Wearing wet suits and tugging a swim buoy, swimmers learn that sheer determination only goes so far. Swimmers contend with frigid water temps, currents, and limited visibility. To qualify to participate, each swimmer must prove they can swim a mile in under 40 minutes.

Team 5HF— Congratulations to Roy Adcock, David Cutler, Kelley Giovannini, Carol Kahn, John Kajawa, Bruce Verburg

Roy, Stockbridge ~ I've been swimming, biking, running, and lifting weights for general fitness since I was in college. Last year I did an Ironman. This year I wanted to challenge myself in a different way. I know I put in the training, and my body is fully capable of doing the swim. I signed up for it to prove to myself I can do it. Mentally during the swim when you’re tired and in pain, you just just keep telling yourself you got this.”

Kelley, Chelsea ~ I started swimming as an alternative to running due to an injury and needed something positive to focus on while facing other challenges in my life. Training for this event every year helps me remain strong mentally and physically while supporting a worthy cause!