Our sharky abilities were a bit wanting, but that didn’t stop us from participating in Chicago’s inaugural Sharkfest Swim which benefitted Transplant Village.
If you’re like most red-blooded Americans, you probably spent a solid chunk of last week engrossed in the glory that is Shark Week. We can’t blame you. Shark Week is basically the coolest thing that has ever happened, and that’s true every time it happens.
This year, the team here at Swift Passport Services decided to celebrate this honored national holiday a bit differently… by becoming sharks!
Sort of.
Our sharky abilities were a bit wanting, but that didn’t stop us from participating in Chicago’s inaugural Sharkfest Swim. This swim is a tradition in cities all around the country, but this was its first year in Chicago, and we couldn’t have been more excited to participate — especially given that our favorite charity, Transplant Village, was the primary beneficiary of the event.
The race happened on the morning of August 9th. Rob, Laurie, and Aurora got suited up and ran into the 68 degree water of Lake Michigan. We think we may have swallowed more water than we actually swam through, but somehow we survived the epic, one mile swim around our Great Lake.
This race wasn’t for the faint of heart. The organizers had a cut off time of 50 minutes to complete the swim, and that was no easy challenge. The person who won the race did it in 24:48. Congratulations, Adrienne Bicek!
At the end of the day, we had a great time completing this epic challenge and supporting the wonderful efforts of Transplant Village.
If you don’t already know, Transplant Village is a community of organ donors, organ recipients, and their families who support the research and services of Northwestern Medicine’s Comprehensive Transplant Center. The transplant center has worked with over 4,000 patients to date, providing them with lifesaving organ transplants. The center is at the forefront of organ transplant research and is well respected for its efforts to help patients and their families understand their situation and the options available to them.
Transplant VIllage supports the efforts of the transplant center through tireless fundraising efforts. Transplant Village also provides a network of support and community for people who have been touched by organ transplantation.
The Sharkfest Swim may be done for this year, but you can still support the great work being done by Transplant VIllage by giving back here.
