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CEEF Awards Ally St. Claire Scholarship Winner In 05’ Great Cheasapeake Bay Swim

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The CEEF Newsletter returns to your mailbox with stories of courageous student athletes who are active in their communities.

In its 6th year, the Cynthia Earley Educational Foundation awards educational scholarships at The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim held in Annapolis, MD every June.

The non-profit organization has recognized a dozen students at this event since 1999 and distributed over $6,000 to be used for the college or trade school of their choice. During this time, we have met and have had the pleasure of speaking about the finest future leaders you would want to meet.

Alexandra “Ally” St. Claire, a native of Silver Springs MD. is the recipient of the 2005 Cynthia Earley Scholarship Award ($1,000) at this year’s Great Chesapeake Bay Swim. Ally was the first woman to finish, and was 8th over all out of 633 entries.

The 18 year old raised over $350 towards the Chesapeake Bay Swim charities that include the March of Dimes and the Chesapeake Bay Trust (see websites below).
• www.marchofdimes.com/maryland/
• www.chesapeakebaytrust.org

  

Ally St. Claire charges the water from
Sandy Point State Park on her way as top female athlete

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Per Ally, “I feel really good not only to do well in the race, but know that I was swimming for a cause and not just to win. Since I spend so much time training and studying, there is not much time for a regular job so the scholarship award will help a lot”

The scholarship will be used by Ally to pay for tuition, books, and supplies as she heads to Bucknell University this fall. As with all the winners of this scholarship since 1999, there has been tremendous support for these student athletes from their immediate family and friends.

Ally St. Claire receives recognition plaque from Brian and Darren Earley, as Chuck Nabit, race director, looks on.

When the concept of a Great Chesapeake Bay Swim (www.bayswim.com) was developed in 1982 with my brother Darren and childhood friend Mike Perry, it was a small solo swim which raised

 
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$800 for those with disabilities like my father, the late Joseph Earley.

Now known as one of the premier open water swim events in the country, the GCBS raises over $150,000 annually and attracts 600 competitors from all over the US and abroad. Starting from Maryland’s western shore to eastern shore, athletes swim between the two bridge spans for 4.4 miles. These two landmasses, when facing a north south tidal change, push currents like sand through an hourglass. These are the fastest tides in the entire Bay and it takes a series of coordinated monitoring events to escort 600 men and women from 15 to 70 years.


The first of two waves launches into a fast but diminishing tide with the second wave to follow fifteen minutes later.

How Do You Get 600 Athletes Across The Chesapeake’s “Hourglass Effect”?


The federal agency NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association) gives the best estimate of “slack tide”, the 1 hour where there is no tidal change, which dictates the start of the race.

  


Swimmers use the Bay Bridge spans as a “fence” during the brief window of opportunity.

The Bay Bridge steel and cement pilings are used as guidelines for the race. No boat traffic is allowed for a three-hour period under the bridges (the only time this has ever been done in the history of the Chesapeake Bay), as swimmers must make certain mile cut off times at each mile to continue and finish the race. The event has more volunteers than it has participants including federal, state, and local water and rescue agencies, the Maryland Power Boat and Kayakers Association and many volunteers from the March of Dimes.

For more information about Cynthia Earley, the GCBS, and the CEEF scholarships, visit the CEEF website.

New CEEF website:
www.CEEF1.org

We are asking for you to support this valuable scholarship. Please consider a tax deductable donation payable to:

Cynthia Earley Educational Foundation
4405 Caminito Cristalino
San Diego, CA 92117-3615
E-Mail: BEarley1@san.rr.com

Corporate ID: 2254889
Please use the enclosed self-addressed envelope to support the Cynthia Earley Scholarship.

Thank You From The Foundation!

www.CEEF1.org

Cynthia Earley Educational Foundation
4405 Caminito Cristalino
San Diego, CA 92117-3615

Tax Deductible Corporate ID: 2254889