Susanne's Great Lake Swim

In July 2007 Susanne Robinson, a Bowmanville resident, wife, and mother of two, took on
the challenge of swimming across Lake Erie. On that bight sunny day Susanne her coach
Karen Hillis of the Clarington Swim club, along with friends and family crossed the
Lake in a record breaking time of 8 hours and 14min. The 20 km swim was very successful,
and lots of fun. It was not long after completing this swim that Susanne and her coach
decided that they needed a little bit more of a challenge. This year Susanne, her friends,
family, coach and support team plan on challenging another lake, the grand daddy  of
them all, Lake Ontario. A 52km swim across one of the most unpredictable and formidable
bodies of water around. The traditional course follows the route used by 16-year-old
Marilyn Bell on the first successful crossing of the lake which occurred on 8-9 September
1954. This route starts in the south at Niagara-on-the-Lake in the mouth of the
Niagara River. The finishing point is approximately 51 km away at, fittingly,
Marilyn Bell Park in Toronto.
If you would like to learn more about Susanne’s Lake Erie Swim  please visit  
www.shrinershq.org/files/hospitals/Canada/pdf/orthopedikfaa07e.pdf  www.newsdurhamregion.com/articlePrint/84590

This swim is far more complicated than the Lake Erie swim, and requires a great deal of
financial support, for boats, crew, food, and all the necessary precautions to ensure the
safety of Susanne and her team. A swim of this magnitude is regulated by provincial
authority,Solo Swims of Ontario Inc. (a non-profit, government-sponsored volunteer
organization -www.soloswims.com). This organization has strict rules to ensure the safety
of the swimmer and her crew. Support boats accompanying the swimmer include two
30 foot boats, two zodiacs, two kayaks and crews for each. This type of support team,
while necessary to ensure safety, can create a significant financial burden to a swimmer
and her family. Susanne is aggressively trying to acquire boats and captains. If you
have any questions for Susanne or would like to donate your services please contact
her at  robinsonsusanne@hotmail.com .

If you would like to assist Susanne and her team please click here to donate.

Looking back on childhood memories, Susanne, remembers her father, Noble Shriner
Eric Welbanks, working hard to raise funds for the Shriners Hospitals for Children, and
her mother, Lady Linda Welbanks, participating in Ladies’ functions. She remembers
tagging along to volunteer at events and on Hospital visits. Today, she is the mother of two
robust children: seven year-old Erica and five year-old Trent. With respect to Susanne’s
Lake Ontario swim all donations above and beyond the cost of the swim will be donated
to the Rameses Shrines Transportation Fund.