The seventh annual Tickle Swim for mental health is happening this Saturday morning.
The 5 km open-ocean swim from Portugal Cove-St. Phillips across the tickle to Bell island starts at 7:00 a.m. sharp.
Sheilagh O’Leary, founder of the swim, says the cause is an important one and she’d always wanted to swim the Tickle. She says that it had always been on her bucket list item in the back of her mind that she really wanted to pursue.
She says she shared that information with her close friend T. A. Loeffler and knew right away that she was going to have to follow through. She says she was fortunate to have a warm reception from the Canadian Mental Health Association.
Five other swimmers got on board with her that first year in 2013. This year twenty-five swimmers along with their kayaker escorts will brave the cold Atlantic waters to raise money for mental health, says O’Leary.
Each swimmer aims to raise one-thousand-dollars that will be used to support mental health initiatives in this province.
A new 1 km event has also been added to the roster this year called the Little Tickle. It will take place on August 24th on Topsail Beach and there are still spaces available.
The public is welcome to show up this Saturday and cheer on the swimmers. And there will be a post-race reception held at Dick’s Fish and Chips on Bell Island at 10:00 a.m. that is also open to the public.
