The countdown is on to New York and I’ll be the first to admit that it’s felt like a rough go this training year. Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to finish no matter what, but it will be a challenge! For so many reasons my swim, work, and personal schedule hasn’t been as optimal as I would have liked it, I haven’t been able to settle into any sort of routine, training days keep getting flipped because one thing or another and going into the final few months of training, I’m noticing stress build physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I’ll be honest, it’s been super challenging to control. Like all my other swims, I know this is my toughest spot, a couple months out, and I know I get into a pre-swim funk. What helps me to get out of it (besides the score on closeout Cadbury crème eggs left over from Easter… $.30/egg times 10 eggs is a bad idea) is finding something good and sharing it with the people I care about most.

Today’s good, which I am SUPER excited to share, is to announce One More Wave as the benefiting charity for my 2018 swim season. Specifically my charity of choice for June 30^th where my crew, teammates, NASers, friends and family will take on The Big Flipper, New York City for the 20 Bridges Manhattan Island Marathon Swim!

I first came into contact with One More Wave a couple years ago at a veterans brunch with The Honor Foundation. It was a great morning, we shared lots of information, had a great dialogue on startups, being an entrepreneur, and civilian employment after serving. One of the business cards I received was for One More Wave and with the word “Wave” in the name and that beautiful teal colored card, I immediately knew whatever this was about, I’d like it! Later that day I looked up online what One More Wave was about and I was right, I liked everything they were about, what they stood for, and what they were trying to accomplish for water lovers. Unknowingly they gave their card to someone who without a doubt believes in the ability of the ocean to heal and who believes that when someone builds a meaningful relationship with the ocean, all things are possible. Fast forward two years later and here we are!

One More Wave is a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to provide wounded or disabled veterans access to surfing by providing them with customized surfing equipment and assistance, which enables their riders to achieve surf therapy. It is an organization founded and run by veterans as well as surfers with a passion to help those in need and help veterans get back into the water. There’s a lot of things that can happen in the course someone’s lifetime and a lot of therapies out there to help people cope with mental health and physical healing. Ocean therapy is another avenue for people to choose and one that I can personally attest helps people overcome pains that are real and wounds that need healing.

Among all the cards I’ve received over the past two years, that one card from One More Wave has remained at the top of my stack. I’m proud to have supported this organization in the past, am proud to support today by announcing them as my benefiting organization, and would be thrilled for you to consider a donation in support of my swim and in support of One More Wave’s future success. What’s even better is that 100% of all donations through One More Wave’s peer-to-peer platform go directly to the organization without any processing fee. I’ve already tested it to find out for myself!

Link to my fundraising site: https://fundraise.onemorewave.net/20bridgesswim

Thanks so much for all the love and support you’ve already given throughout these past three and a half years and ahead of time, thank you for your consideration of a donation. Keep in touch, I’ll be posting more information on my blog as we approach the swim and will include a live tracker link so you can follow along for the big day. Until then, I’ll keep training away, which is now especially necessary after those Cadbury crème eggs.

Lots of swim love, big flippers xoxoxo,

Melissa