How It All Started

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.  Five years later, we now have hundreds of swimmers and volunteers showing up and raising money for our Veterans.  Following the swim,  thousands of spectators have showed 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. We continue to improve on these events to raise important funds for local, state and national Veterans organizations. Last year, we added a new event,  Green Beret With A Mission challenge with the help of Camp Resilience. Teams participate and compete in stations that encourage team work and endurance.

As we continue to evolve and understand more about the needs of our Veterans, we are focusing more on providing service and support dogs to Veterans and creating art programs, both of which address the invisible wounds that too many of our veterans are suffering through.  This year we are kicking off our art fundraising efforts by bringing Portraits of Courage to New Hampshire, a unique collection of paintings of Veterans by President Bush. We are also focusing on publishing a book about Veterans in NH as well as working with local artist Chris Ward to raise money to support art therapy programs. 

We are so grateful that our first five 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 six 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!