So, I’m about 6 hours from finishing my 75 km across Lake Erie off!  Not exactly the way it was supposed to happen, but just as, if not more important because of the message this swim sends!  No matter what you are going through (good or bad), NEVER give up! Like with the battle against cancer and having to take a break in your like and refocus, this is the same with this radical crossing of Lake Erie!  Sometimes you just have to stop and then go on with things after the storm has calmed some!  When I do a book signing I like to write in the book to “Find something you love, and NEVER give up!”, and today I am going to attempt to prove my words and show that anything is possible with hard work and determination!

I’ve had a great sleep this afternoon and am ready to go, and as I look outside as I type, my wonderful friends at The Weather Network seem to be right about the weather straightening out this evening.  The flag on the pole on our farm here between Jericho and Walsh is even laying right down at times!!  Thank you so much to all the folks at TWN for being such wonderful partners and providing the personal weather reports for both of these Lake Erie swims!!

Thanks you too to all my crew and those who are volunteering time once again!!  I can’t believe I have so many people who would basically give up their summer to help me help Camp Trillium!!  You are all amazing and watching how well you work with my family to get things done is inspiring to me!!  I know you are all friends for a lifetime and are part of our family!!  It’s been an incredible summer of working out together, traveling together, meeting together, and laughing together!!!  Talk about memories!!  And think of the lives you have changed at Camp Trillium!!

I think I head out at about 9:30pm, and I know that there is a real push to have people come to the pier in Port Dover and see me off, which is embarrassing and makes me feel very good at the same time!!  If you’re their I hope I get to wave at you or even yell hi!!  You have all been so wonderful to me!!  I’m just that little girl from the country that wants to help other kids and I want you to realize that!  My community and country for that matter have been so great to me and in helping me and I hope you all know how much I appreciate it!!  There are just no words to describe how I feel about you all!!  Whether it has been giving time, money, praying, cheering or sending well wishes, YOU have made this possible and made the world a better place for someone battling cancer!!

I know I have been bad at blogging!  I seriously haven’t had the time :) !  I’ve done a lot of things and spent the summer working at the pool in Delhi, so even with the training and swims my life has been incredible! Sitting on a computer typing just didn’t seem like a way I wanted to “balance” my summer 😉 !

Anyway, I need to go and finish off preparations for tonight!  I will be leaving for Port Dover soon and hope to see you all there!  Continue to monitor my progress on the “Broadcast” page here on my website and PLEASE continue to give to Camp Trillium and allow kids and their families in a battle for life to have such a small time to have fun and have a smile on their face!! I believe all kids deserve to be kids…no matter what…don’t you??!!  Donate either here online on my website or at the Tiki Hut on the Port Dover beach where my great friend Duane Rutter will continue his guitarathon tonight beginning when I get in the water!  Thanks you all so much!!  Love Annaleise <3 !