7th Annual Islesboro Crossing fundraising for LifeFlight of Maine

The 7th annual Islesboro Crossing in Northport is an open swim to raise money for LifeFlight of Maine.

Swimmers start on the beach at Point Lookout Resort and swim five kilometers to the lighthouse that marks the island of Islesboro.

All the proceeds from the event go to LifeFlight of Maine, a helicopter service for those who are medically in need.

A number of the participants have been dependent on LifeFlight in the past.

"I have a rare heart condition, spontaneous coronary artery dissection. And there's really no known cause for it. So at any time, one of my arteries could dissect, one of the layers could rip and cause a heart attack," Cheryl LeBlond, a Volunteer Coordinator.

Cheryl has been flown on LifeFlight twice due to her condition, in 2012, and again in 2016.

"My mother was pregnant with me. They slid off the side of the road in a mountainous remote area of West Virginia. And they needed a helicopter and there wasn't a LlfeFlight back then, so it's really amazing now to see that this great organization here in Maine helping people out," said Darby Urey, one of the swimmer's for the event.

"Eventually that story did end up well with the assistance of a phone call to the White House to get the White House helicopter. But people shouldn't have to call the White House to get the assistance they need to get to the right hospital."

"Knowing that there's so many remote areas of Maine that need the lifesaving services of LifeFlight and that people won't have to wait hours like Darby's parents had to do," said Katie Urey, another swimmer for the event.

Registration for Sunday's event is full but the public is encouraged to support the event with a donation by visiting www.islesborocrossing.org.

The swim is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m.