A Splash of a Lifetime
Friends' Executive Director Margaret Frisbie with Rebecca Mann, winner of the 2-mile Chicago River Swim.
Slightly earthy” and “a bit metallic under the bridges” along with how “clean and clear the water was” were just a few of the comments from the swimmers in the Chicago River downtown September 21 including Olympic athlete Becca Mann and local swimmer and Friends’ volunteer Ian Rose. They shared the water with 263 others for the first sanctioned swimming event in Chicago in nearly 100 years.
Enormous congratulations are due to the team at A Long Swim and its CEO Douglas McConnell, a 2024 Friends’ River Champion, for the tenacity to achieve the wonderful and amazing inaugural Chicago River Swim. It was a work of love, and raised $100,000 for ALS research and $50,000 for swimming lessons for 2,000 second and third graders in West Pullman on Chicago’s south side.
“Friends of the Chicago River was proud to be a partner and support this event for more than10 years,” said Friends’ Executive Director Margaret Frisbie, who was on-hand for event. “We couldn’t have been more pleased to see the joy on the swimmers’ faces, the river sparkling in the sunshine, and media from all over the planet sharing our beautiful city with the world.” The Chicago River Swim garnered 3 billion media impressions and was on the front page of the New York Times.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson helped bring the event over the finish line and told the large crowds gathered, “Reclaiming our river not only creates a recreational space for residents and visitors, but it also puts us on the map, along with other global destinations, where open water swims have become part of the city culture.” Congressman Mike Quigley (IL-5), Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, 21st Ward Alderman Ronnie L. Mosley, President of the Shedd Aquarium Bridget Coughlin, and Current CEO Alaina Harkness were some of the other major supporters who were there to celebrate the day.
With worldwide recognition from the Thiess International River Prize from the International River Foundation and a growing partnership with the global Swimmable Cities movement we are well on our way to fulfilling our vision of a healthy, biodiverse, equitably accessible, and resilient Chicago-Calumet River system.
We can’t wait for next year!
