Dear Friends,

On June 6, 2009, the 65th anniversary of D-Day, I will swim across the choppy waters of the English Channel as part of a six-man relay of American graduate students in the United Kingdom.  Comprised of three Rhodes scholars and three Naval Academy graduates selected for SEAL training, our team is drawing inspiration from veterans of the World War II operation and hoping to raise money to support The Mission Continues, a charity that recognizes today's generation of inspirational veterans.

http://www.missioncontinues.org/

The Mission Continues was founded by former Rhodes scholar and Navy SEAL, Eric Greitens, using his combat pay from Iraq.  The charity awards fellowships to wounded and disabled veterans for volunteer service in their communities.  The goal is to provide service opportunities to veterans who still have a desire to serve their country, but whose disabilities prevent them from continuing to serve in the military.   Our hope is to raise $15,000, which will go a long way toward providing a veteran with the opportunity to continue his or her service.

Any donation, whether big or small, is greatly appreciated.  If you would like some ideas on amounts to contribute, the route we are swimming across the English Channel is 21 miles, so you might consider giving one dollar or pound for each mile we swim.  Alternatively, the expected water temperature on the day of the swim is a balmy 14 degrees Celsius or 55 degrees Fahrenheit.  A donation of any of these amounts (or more!) will warm our shivering bodies, since the only insulation we are allowed is a thin layer of goose fat, as that is how the first brave soul swam across the Channel 134 years ago.  Contributions can be made via the link below and are fully tax deductible for American citizens.

http://www.missioncontinues.org/event/4b4a4740dea12d530

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Scott Erwin, University of Richmond, Oxford University

On behalf of:

Daniel Decker, U.S. Naval Academy, Oxford University
Eric Gardiner, U.S. Naval Academy, Queen's University Belfast
Joseph Hess, U.S. Naval Academy, Oxford University
Drew Shipley, University of Oregon, Oxford University
Timothy Simmons, U.S. Military Academy, Oxford University

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