Local woman to swim Severn

Colleen Shields of Georgetown will swim more than 12 km in the Severn River Saturday, along with a dozen other people, in the Sixth Annual Swim for the Cure event, a fundraiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

A Georgetown woman will swim more than 12 km in the Severn River Saturday in an effort to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research. Colleen Shields, 54, will be participating with about a dozen other people in the Sixth Annual Swim for the Cure event, a fundraiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Shields took part in the 12.8 km endurance swim last year, partly as a warm-up for a tandem Lake Ontario swim she attempted, but didn't complete last August with her friend Nicole Mallette of Hamilton. Shields, a marathon swimmer, who was the oldest woman (at age 38) to cross Lake Ontario in 17 hours, 56 minutes back in 1990, became involved in the Swim for the Cure because her best friend Mary Nolan is a breast cancer survivor. She and Mallette, who is also taking part in the fundraiser swim, plan to get in the water at about 6:30 a.m. and estimate the swim will take them about four-and-a-half hours. "We've decided to go a little bit earlier this year because of boat traffic," said Shields. She said passing boats made for a choppy swim last year. The swim will begin at Swift Rapids Lock 43 and end at Big Chute Lock 44. Over the last five years the event has raised more than $50,000. Donations can be made during the swim or directly to the Canadian Cancer Society through the Orillia & District Unit, 190 Memorial Ave., Unit F, Orillia, Ontario, L3V 5X6. Phone 1-800555-7922. or email orillia@ccsont.org or orillia@ccsont.ort.