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Tickle Swim for Mental Health
Apr 5, 2021
Registration for Tickle Swim 2021 is coming!
The details of the 9th Annual Tickle Swim are being coordinated by our dedicated team of volunteers and staff. For updates, please subscribe to our e-news here and follow our social media channels.
If you’d like to connect with other Tickle Swimmers and Kayakers, head over to our official Tickle Swim Facebook Group.
Contact:
Toll Free: 1-877-753-8550
Tel: 709-753-8550 x101
[email protected]
About the Tickle Swim for Mental Health
Established in 2013 by community activist and current City of St. John’s Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O’Leary, the Tickle Swim for Mental Health is a 5 km open-ocean swim across ‘the Tickle’ from Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s to Bell Island. The Tickle Swim is all about taking on a challenge, bringing mental health into the open, and coming together as a community to support the work of CMHA-NL across the province.
In 2019, the Tickle Swim won the Outstanding Special Event Award from AFP Newfoundland and Labrador.
About the Little Tickle
In 2019, we introduced the Little Tickle event. This 1 km near-shore swim along Topsail Beach, CBS is perfect for adults who are new to ocean swimming, as well as competitive junior swimmers. As with the Tickle Swim, the aim of the Little Tickle is to challenge yourself, increase awareness surrounding mental health, and raise essential funds for mental health initiatives across Newfoundland and Labrador.
What’s a Virtual Swim?
In 2020, we pivoted to a virtual swim event and it was a great success. A virtual swim is a choose-your-own adventure! Whether you’re a shoreline paddler, an open-ocean kayaker, a lake-jumper, a sprinkler-runner, or you just like to sit and listen the waves—a virtual swim is your chance to be a part of the Tickle Swim family and support mental health for all.
Meditation on the beach? A 10K swim? Relaxing in your giant swan floatie? A virtual swim means doing whatever you do to take care of yourself—it’s your swim, your way, for your mental health. Set your own goals and share your journey to help raise awareness and funds for mental health. The funds you raise will support the work CMHA-NL does and mental health initiatives right here in our province.
While we are looking forward to swimming together again, and we remain optimistic for an in-person event, our Tickle Swim fam’ is well-equipped to do what they do best and support mental health—from near or far—virtually! Check out this special video message from long-time Tickle Swim Support Kayaker and mental health advocate, TA Loeffler: watch the video.
Tickle Swim & Little Tickle Registration (In-Person Event)
The Tickle Swim has an in-person participant cap of 25 swimmers, while the Little Tickle has a cap of 12 swimmers. In-person participation must be kept to a smaller number for safety and logistical reasons. Please subscribe to our email list and follow us on social media to learn when registration opens. Be sure to register early to secure your place. Waitlisted participants will be notified in the order in which they register if/when a space becomes available. Interested participants should review the information on www.tickleswim.ca, including the sections on how to prepare for ocean swimming, kayak support, swim kit essentials, and fundraising.
Why Do Tickle Swimmers Fundraise?
Swimmers, kayakers, and supporters help raise funds for CMHA-NL, which means we can help even more people in Newfoundland and Labrador by building and maintaining the programming, education, and services we offer. Learn more about what CHMA-NL does here.
Want to Be a Tickle Swim Sponsor?
This event would not be possible without the valued support of the Town of Wabana, the Town of Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, and the Town of Conception Bay South. We would also like to recognize the tremendous contributions from local businesses, including Dicks’ Fish & Chips and Landings Seafood House who kindly host our swimmers, kayakers, volunteers, and supporters on both sides of the Tickle every year.
If you’d like to offer your support or become a sponsor of this unique event please reach out to our Fund Development Coordinator.