2016 will make for a third year that the Idaho Vandals Swimming and Diving team is participating in The Swim Across America-Seattle event, a charity event that raises money for cancer research, awareness, and treatment. This year's two-mile open water event will take place at Lake Washington, on Saturday, Sept. 10.
 
"As Vandals, we have seen cancer affect and take lives within our athletic department, as well as our circle of family and friends," assistant coach Kelsie Saxe said. "Our team has latched onto this cause in an effort to make waves to fight cancer. It provides us with an opportunity to fight for something bigger than a win, while still celebrating the beauty of the sport."
 
This event is more than just a swim for the Vandals as Victoria Papke explains.
 
"Everybody's touched by cancer in some way. I know I am," Papke said. "My grandma passed away because of cancer, one of the football players on the U of I team was battling cancer – sadly he passed away. We want to put his name on our arms and put the rookie sticker on our other arm."
 
Swim Across America is active all over the country, making waves by hosting benefits for our cancer research partners who are developing new cures and treatments to defeat cancer.
 
The proceeds of Swim Across America-Seattle benefit Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Seattle Cancer Care Alliance link doctors from the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, UW Medicine, and Seattle Children's to turn scientific research into prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and eventually a cure for cancer.
 
"I love it, I love doing it, I feel honored and blessed that we're able to do it and we're going to try and make this a yearly thing," coach Mark Sowa said.
 
The Swim and Dive team had great experiences in 2012 and 2015 and look forward to swimming and raising awareness again this year.
 
The team has been raising money for this cause from all over the country and the world as well. The last two years the Vandals participated in the event they reached their goal of more than $1,500. This year the team is raising the bar and aiming for $4,000; currently the Vandals have raised $2,620. All proceeds go to Swim Across America and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
 
To donate and create a wave of change please visit the website: http://www.swimacrossamerica.org/site/TR/OpenWater/Seattle?team_id=18509&pg=team&fr_id=3947 and click on donate in the right hand corner of the page.
 
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