Phil “Dumbledore” White of the Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming Association looked to promote blood donations and cold water swimming in Lake Memphremagog, Vermont when he started the first Vampire Swim in 2015.
He recalls, “Within a few weeks of floating the concept, venues were signing on all over the place, like Coney Island in New York, L Street Beach in Boston, Annapolis in Maryland, Connecticut, Sandycove and Dublin in Ireland, Loch Lomond and Loch Ness in Scotland, Detroit, San Diego in California, Flathead Lake in Montana, and Toronto and Ottawa in Canada. By the end of Halloween, 2015 over 20 communities in North America and Europe held Vampire Swims tied to blood donations.
We are encouraging the many communities of cold water swimmers and dippers that have grown during the past decade to have a party and hold your own Vampire Swims in 2024 in your own community and organize blood donations close to home.
One step at a time, one stroke at a time, and one drop at a time, we arch our backs and raise a collective Howl to the Moon.
Vampire Swim came home on October 26th to where it all started at the Newport City Boat Ramp this week.
White described the event, “Led by Pam Ladds of the Sharkbait Sheilas, our local cold water swimming group, four bloodthirsty souls walked The Ramp, entered the 10°C waters of Mighty Memphremagog, and swam to the Newport Princess and back. I n addition to Ladds, they were Lauren Holder, Katrina Yablonski, and Ben Bryan.
The swim raised money for the Vermont Chapter of the American Red Cross and four pints of blood. The swim was coordinated by Kingdom Games in collaboration with the Vermont Chapter of the American Red Cross, Jasper’s Tavern, Newport Downtown Development, the City of Newport, and the Sharkbait Sheilas.”
© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
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