Would you swim around Lopez Island? Would you do it twice?

Meet a few hardy open-water swimmers who have done the equivalent of just that by swimming across MacKaye harbor multiple times this summer, for a total of over 62 miles.

These Lopez women are swimming for FLIP, Friends of Lopez Island Pool, to raise funds for construction of an indoor aquatic facility that will serve everyone of every age and ability on Lopez Island.

On Sun., Sept. 5, the swimmers and their sponsors will meet at 2 p.m. at the MacKaye Harbor Dock (off MacKaye Harbor Road just east of Mud Bay Road). The public is invited to help us celebrate the Salish Sea with the final swim of the summer, followed by a thank-you party with presentation of locally designed “Club 468” Swim the Salish Sea t-shirts to the swimmer’s sponsors.

You can still sponsor a swimmer or more than one swimmer, and in the process raise money for construction of the Lopez Island Aquatic Center to be sited at the island’s center near the school. Please see the FLIP website, www.lopezislandpool.org, for sponsorship forms and biographies of the Swimmers of the Salish Sea. Information is also posted outside the Lopez Village Market in the “pool blue” bulletin board. You may also don your wet suit, contact a sponsor, and join the swimmers on Sept. 5.

Lopez will swim!