How It All Started and How We Have Evolved

By Phil and Julie Taub, Co-Founders

Here is our story.  We started Swimming With A Mission, Inc. because we felt that we needed to do something! We were frustrated and concerned. Our Veterans and their families have given so much and for some, have made the ultimate sacrifice.  Our Veterans deserve more. We live in the land of the free and the home of the brave, because of the brave. We hope that you will join us on this mission to help, support and honor our Veterans.
 
We started this organization by combining our most fundamental passions: Veterans, lake living and swimming.  Our original event features a swim across Newfound Lake, the cleanest lake in the Northeast.  Six years later, we now have hundreds of swimmers and volunteers showing up and raising money for our Veterans.  For 2 years,  thousands of spectators have shown up to enjoy what has become a huge Veteran festival now being held at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. Another featured event is a unique team building day led by the Navy SEALs who speak to some of the top companies in the Northeast about leadership, “team first” attitude and mental toughness. Those skills are then tested in a paintball tournament, which in its has become the highest grossing paintball charity event ever in the USA. Green Beret With A Mission challenge with the help of Camp Resilience. Teams participate and compete in stations that encourage team work and endurance. This year we are adding our Navy SEAL Gold Star Family Tribute Dinner at Jimmy’s in Portsmouth in conjunction with a art show at MONA by our favorite artist, Chris Ward. Check out our event page for more details on all of this years events. We continue to improve on these events and add new ones to raise important funds for local, state and national Veterans organizations.  

As we continue to evolve and understand more about the needs of our Veterans, we are focusing more on mental health and reducing the Veteran suicide rate which is far to high. We are doing this by funding programs that provide service and support dogs to Veterans, art therapy programs, equine immersion programs, Veteran retreats and more. All of the organizations address the invisible wounds that too many of our veterans are suffering through as well as get them out of their homes to be amongst their peers.  We have also discovered the importance of getting all of the Veteran Service Organizations of NH together to address concerns facing Veterans and the community. Our 3rd Annual Summit will be in June.

We are so grateful that our first six years have been such a great success and are exceedingly appreciative of every donor, sponsor, swimmer, volunteer and participant who have helped make this mission victorious!  We have an incredible board, group of advisors and swim committee that are working hard to make year seven even better.  We are grateful to our friends and family (especially to our children Benjamin and Dani) for joining our mission. Please join us to make a difference!