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Help Michele Swim for GEMS

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Hello Family, Friends, and other Supporters:

As you might know, I am planning to circumnavigate the Island of Key West this June - not by boat or plane, but by myself, in the water. I've been dreaming of and training for this race for a long time and have decided that 2015 is the year I complete the annual Swim Around Key West. The race is June 6, and I could use your support.

You cannot make it to Key West to cheer me on. I get it. So how can you help? There are two ways.

First, and most importantly, donate money in my honor to the charity for which I am swimming (see below). Knowing I am swimming for a cause will not only make the race a lot more meaningful and worthwhile, but it will also give me some much needed motivation to finish what is likely to be the hardest event I will ever complete in my life: 12.5 miles of swimming in the ocean.

The other option is to help fund my race-related expenses. This is a costly endeavor, involving travel from Arkansas to Key West, the support of kayakers and the Coast Gaurd (my own husband will be my personal kayaker for an estimated 7 hour swim), registration, and all of the swimsuits I am tearing through in my training. Even a couple dollars will be super helpful to this end - if everyone I know gave me just 2 dollars, I would have my whole trip funded super fast. And once I reach my travel goal on this site, all money received after that will go directly to GEMS. 

So, what is GEMS and why am I swimming for it? GEMS is an educational and mentoring service for young girls and women who have been victims of sexual exploitation and/or trafficking. I have been a big fan of this organization for a long time, since I read Girls Like Us, a memoir written by the founder of GEMS, Rachel Lloyd, who was herself a victim of the illegal sex trade. Here you can read all about this great organization. 

If you want to donate directly to GEMS to ensure that 100% of your donation goes to GEMS (I totally understand if you do and I am capable of funding my travel/race alone - just seeking a little help to ease the financial stress) please visit my other fundraising site: Swim For Gems.

Thank you for considering donating in my honor! 

Michele

Organizer

Michele Merritt
Organizer
Jonesboro, AR

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