Island Shows Up for Swim Across America

On Saturday, Martha’s Vineyard held its inaugural Swim Across America event, a charity swim that raises money for cancer treatment and research.

Organized by Leah Thomson and Zoe Treitman, both rising seniors at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, the event raised a total of $342,000 that will be donated to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital’s cancer center.

Over 160 Islanders participated in the event, with many more cheering them on from the sand.

“Everyone was so amazing,” said Ms. Treitman after the event.

“Everything from start to finish was perfect,” said Ms. Thomson.

Volunteers arrived early to set up, including many nurses from the hospital. As swimmers checked in and squeezed their neon caps over their heads — a different color for each different swim length — spectators also began to arrive. Families and friends turned up to cheer on their swimmers, the Chilmark select board came out to watch, and summer local Seth Meyers donned an orange swim cap for the mile swim.

Ms. Thomson and Ms. Treitman began the morning with a speech, dedicating the event to those who had lost loved ones to cancer, and to the survivors of cancer in the audience and their families who supported them through the ordeal.

“And so many of us, and our loved ones, have benefited from the loving, professional, life-saving care at the cancer institute at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital,” said Ms. Treitman. “This swim is for you.”

The swim was also for Jay Grossman, a Chilmark resident who died from cancer this spring. His daughter, Avery Grossman, spoke before the swim began, acknowledging the work of the cancer center, the staff there and the Chilmark community that supported her father and his family through his battle.

Ms. Grossman’s Team Jay was the largest fundraiser, raising over $73,000, edging out Caroline Kennedy’s Todd’s Team at the last moment, which raised over $65,000.

“There’s a real Vineyard magic in this community,” said Ms. Grossman. “Today is about more than swimming. It is about community and showing up for one another.”

The event began with the kids splash, where youngsters swam out to a flamingo floatie. The main event started with the quarter milers, with the milers heading out next and then the half milers.

Swimmers said the water was cold at the start, but the cause was motivating.

“You’re swimming for something beyond yourself,” said Deb Tully, who swam the quarter mile for the Quitsa Crew team.

Craig Beardsley, vice president of partnership at Swim Across America headquarters, agreed. Mr. Beardsley was an elite swimmer in the 1970s and 1980s at the same time that his mom battled cancer. He got involved in Swim Across America not long after his professional career ended.

“This was an opportunity, as an athlete, to give back with a sport that we love and make a difference,” he said.

As tired swimmers emerged from the water, red around the eyes from their goggles, smiles spread across their faces, Ms. Thomson and Ms. Treitman wrapped them in Swim Across America towels.

Ms. Thomson’s brother Moses and sister Taeko both competed in the mile swim, while her father Josh was part of the life-saving team, if needed, and her mother Rebekah helped register swimmers.

Sixth grader Hazel Stahl — who swam with her older sister Lucille and dad Eddie in the mile — swore she swallowed a fish.

The community embraced Ms. Thomson and Ms. Treitman with kudos and congratulations.

“Not often do you have kids their age that want to take ownership of something of this magnitude,” said Mr. Beardsley. “It makes Martha’s Vineyard unique on so many levels.”

Donations will remain open until December. In the meantime, Ms. Thomson and Ms. Treitman are already thinking about next year.

Visit swimacrossamerica.org.

More Pictures.

This article appears in July 24, 2026.