The Official Douglas Lake Swim-a-thon Open Water Swim Event

Leverage marketing dollars to maximize your exposure, while making a positive impact in the lives of our neighbors.

We promote community participation, support and involvement. By sponsoring the Annual Douglas Lake Swim-a-thon, your business has the opportunity to increase sales, enhance your image, introduce new products, strengthen your business and community relationships, as well as boost employee morale.

Support the Douglas Lake Swim-a-thon fundraiser to support those who need our help the most in our local community.

Raise at least $150 in pledges, and your 2011 registration fee will be waived!

We are awarding prizes to (A) FIRST PLACE TEAM, (B) TOP 3 MALE SOLO, (C) TOP 3 FEMALE SOLO and (D) TOP 3 FUNDRAISERS

Swimmers are encouraged to raise pledge money to maximize the total donations to the charities. Ask your family, friends & co-workers to sponsor you.

Recognition and prizes will be awarded to the top three swimmers who raise the most money.

Registered swimmers should download a copy of the Sponsorship Pledge Form and begin collecting pledges. Pledge forms and money are due on Race Day during registration at 8:00 a.m.

Checks should be made to the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce (tax deductible) with a notation of Swim-a-thon in the memo area.

All funds collected through swimmer sponsor pledges will be dispersed equally between the charities.

Bigger and Better! These words could easily be applied to the Second Annual Douglas Lake Swim-a-thon held on Saturday, August 14, 2010, at Angelos' at The Point Restaurant and The Point Resort and Marina in beautiful Dandridge, Tennessee.

Sixty-three swimmers (vs. 36 at the initial event in 2009) participated in this two mile open water swim event to raise monies for Safe Harbor CAC, a child advocacy agency serving four counties, and the Dandridge Food Pantry. Although it is promoted as both a team activity as well as an individual event, fifty-three of the registrants swam the entire two miles. Fifteen of the swimmers were returning after swimming in the First Annual Douglas Lake Swim-a-thon in 2009.

The course was laid out with buoys every quarter of a mile about 100 yards (average depth of 65 feet) out from the shore line beginning near Day Board 12 and ending opposite the dock at The Point Marina. How long does it take to swim two miles? The defending champion from 2009, Eddie Wysmierski of Knoxville, returned to defend his title and set a new record of 48 minutes and 22 seconds, beating the old record by more than two minutes. Maria Jugan and Doug Robertson, both from Knoxville, finished second and third respectively and also beat last year’s winning time. The 63rd swimmer finished in one hour, 55 minutes, and 33 seconds. Each participant wore a brightly colored swim cap with an individual number written on the side so that each swimmer’s time could be recorded.

Three teams, totaling 10 swimmers, also participated in the event and took turns spelling each other from their escort pontoon boat. Team “Limeys X2”, with Hilary Hunter and Lori Murphy, were race day registrants (a total of 18 signed up on the morning of the race) and finished in 1:05:21 winning the team category. Teams “Aggregates USA” (Greg Simpson, Jennifer Schmid, Duff Boyd, Todd Brenizer, and Jeremy Hartley) and “Rugged Range Mermaids” (Barbara Garrow, Kathleen Villars, and Kathy Wing) finished second and third in the team category.

All participants were asked to bring a non-perishable food item the day of the race and the collection table was overflowing with cans of food to help the DMA Emergency Food Pantry in their quest to serve the needy in the surrounding community. Several participants also turned in their Sponsorship Pledge Forms totaling $985, a significant increase over 2009.

The youngest swimmer was 14 and the oldest was 69. We had 34 males and 29 females. There were swimmers from five states (Tennessee, Virginia, Indiana, North Carolina, and Georgia). Tee-shirt sales more than doubled from the previous year. The event is sanctioned by USA Triathlon.

The real inspiration for everyone came from a swimmer named Brenna Swiggum (Team Fish Out of Water). Brenna towed Sandy Barnes, a teenager with cerebral palsy, who was in an inflatable kayak connected with a special harness. Brenna finished 28th with a time of 1:11:58.

On July 23, 2010, an event called Sunset Celebration was held in the pavilion at Angelos' at The Point. This dinner with a band and live auction was held to benefit the Swim-a-thon and its two charities. Over 110 people braved the heat and had a wonderful evening.

Special thanks must be given to all the volunteers that contributed to the success of both the Sunset Celebration and the Douglas Lake Swim-a-thon. Kayakers, pontoon boat operators, land volunteers TWRA officials, Rescue Squad members, businesses donating prizes and other sponsors should all feel good for the part they played in making our 2010 Annual Douglas Lake Swim-a-thon such a huge success. We look forward to having even more participation and fun in 2011.

Put August 13, 2011, on your calendar. Second Saturday in August.

Wearing our Annual Douglas Lake Swim-a-thon t-shirts helps promote our community fundraiser to benefit our local charities. We would love to see everyone in Jefferson County proudly promoting this fun and worthy event.

Buy one for $15.00 - Buy 2 for $25.00.
Adult sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2X.

Available at Angelos' at The Point Restaurant, Thomas Tavern Gift & Smoke Shop in Downtown Dandridge, or the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. Net proceeds go directly to both Douglas Lake Swim-a-thon charities.