Charles River Swimmer Passes Halfway Mark Goal of 80-Mile Journey is a Swimmable Charles DOVER, Mass., Nov. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday evening, former Allston, Mass. resident Christopher Swain, a 36-year old clean water activist and father of two, stroked past the halfway mark on his swim of the Charles River's entire length. Swain, who made history with his entire-length swims of both the Hudson River and Lake Champlain earlier this year, began his journey at the River's headwaters in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, on October 12. In addition to swimming, Swain has hosted community meetings, led trash clean-ups, and visited local schools. He has slithered through mud, crawled over waterfalls, hiked through tunnels, boogie-boarded down bony rapids, swallowed sewage, collected trash, battled a swollen lymph node, and sustained several minor injuries to his hands and legs. Swain is swimming in support of the Clean Charles 2005 initiative, an association of academic and research institutions, NGOs, government agencies, and other entities working toward the goal of a swimmable Charles River by Earth Day, 2005. Says Swain, "When I meet with folks in Cambridge and Boston, I tell them that if we work together, they could be swimming in the Charles every day after work all summer long." Swain's swim will conclude with a public celebration at Puopolo Playground in Boston's North End, on Friday morning, November 12, 2004. Swain's Charles River Swim for Clean Water includes school visits, on-line teaching tools for K-12 educators, community events, a clean water action plan, and an online swim journal. For details and updates, please visit http://www.swimforcleanwater.org . Robert Zimmerman, Executive Director of the Charles River Watershed Association, an environmental organization dedicated to improving and protecting the quality of water in the Charles, applauded Christopher for his effort. "By swimming the Charles, Christopher is reminding us all that there is a vital link between the health of the Charles River and the choices we make as citizens to protect our waterways." said Zimmerman. "We have come a long way in improving the Charles, but much work remains. Christopher is spotlighting the importance of reducing human impacts and restoring the River." Background Christopher Swain is not a scientist, not rich, and not that fast a swimmer. Swain's Lake Champlain, Hudson River, and Charles River swims are a series of clean water swims designed in part to bridge the gap between the United Nations International Water Year 2003, and the United Nations Decade of Action "Water For Life" 2005-2015. In 2003, he became the first person to swim the entire 1,243 mile length of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. Swain has survived 12 foot waves, collisions with boats, Lamprey Eel attacks, and waters laced with everything from human waste to nuclear waste. He has received an International Earth Day Award at the United Nations, and an e-chievement award on National Public Radio's e-town. A former resident of both Gloucester and Allston, Mass., Swain and his family now live in Vermont. Swim For Clean Water Sponsors The organic farmers of Organic Valley Family of Farms (http://www.organicvalley.coop) are sponsoring the Charles River Swim for Clean Water to heighten public awareness of the clean water-organic farming link. Representing over 600 organic farmers in 17 states, including Vermont, Maine, and New York, Organic Valley is the only national organic brand that is 100% farmer-owned. It's also the only national, independent, organic dairy in the United States. Organic Valley sells "New England Pastures" milk and more than 130 organic products in leading natural foods, groceries, and cooperatives nationwide. The Charles River Swim for Clean Water is also supported by the generosity of the following: Patagonia, ProMotion Wetsuits, Wolverine Fabrications, and Small Dog Electronics. |