NORTH OAKVILLE TODAY – Just after midnight on August 12, Melanie Price will set out from Port Dalhousie to swim over 40 km across Lake Ontario to Oakville.

Price’s love affair with Lake Ontario began when she was swimming with the Lake Ontario Swim Team (LOST) to train for the Louisville Ironman, which she completed in 2009.

One of her goals with this swim is to increase awareness of the need to protect this wonderful natural resource that we have sitting in our own backyard and, by extension, to raise funds for Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, a registered charity working to restore and maintain the ability to swim, drink and fish in Lake Ontario.

Price is an accomplished athlete who is constantly challenging herself to new levels.

She began competitive swimming at the age of 13 and was first introduced to open water swimming in 1994 in Florida where she completed the Ocean Mile.

Her first crossing of Lake Ontario was in 1995 when she was a part of a relay team crossing. She took some time away from the pool after university to pursue her career in accounting and start her family; however, she found her way back in 2004 as a swimmer with Burlington Masters Swim Club (B.M.S.C.).

Since 2004, Melanie has participated in numerous events such as masters provincial and national swimming championships, open water races, road races, marathons, triathlons, 1/2 Ironmen and Ironman Louisville.

Melanie’s swim has been sanctioned by Solo Swims of Ontario (SSO) who sanctions all solo swims across Lake Ontario to ensure such swims are conducted safely.

The swim will offer many challenges for Melanie besides the distance, which will have Melanie continuously in the water for an estimated 15 to 21 hours.

Lake Ontario is a large body of water with many conditions, currents and temperature changes.

The lake temperature can drop by as much as 15°F if a large freighter has recently been past creating a huge challenge for a swimmer without a wetsuit.

Price states “many people have supported me and with the nature of open water swimming being that there are many variables out of my control, my greatest fear is of letting people down. But even if I don’t make it, I will be proud of myself for continuing to work for this”.

Swimming for the health of Lake Ontario, the source of drinking water for 4.5 million people who make their homes around it, is important to Melanie.

She believes that the more people get out, in it, on it, and along its shorelines, the more people will care and come to love it the way she does.

Regardless of the crossing outcome, Melanie’s enthusiasm, courage, persistence and care for the environment that we live in is an inspiration to those around her.

Accipiter Radar is delighted to support Melanie’s swim across the lake attempt; and will track the crossing via radar with a live link on Price’s website at: www.melaniepriceadventures. blogspot.com, where you can also get more information about her Lake Ontario swim and access a link for making donations to Lake Ontario Waterkeeper.

For More information on Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, visit www.waterkeeper.ca. To help put the Great back in the Lake and help Melanie reach her fundtraising goal, visit www.canadahelps.org/gp/11261.