The Second Annual Michele Daschbach Fast Memorial Ocean Swim will be held Saturday, Aug. 10.
The swim from Sunset Beach to Seal Beach honors the memory of the 47-year-old mother of three who died along with seven others in the tragic shootings at the Salon Meritage on Oct. 12 of 2011.
Participants will meet at the home of Michele’s brother, Rooney and his wife, Clair Daschbach, at 16901 South Pacific Ave., in Sunset Beach at 7:30 a.m. and enter the water at 8:15 a.m. The swim will start at 10th Street in Sunset Beach and go to beach on the northwest side of Seal Beach Pier; approximately 3 miles.
There will be paddlers and boat escorts from both Orange County and Seal Beach lifeguards.
Organizers of the event may also introduce a shorter swim of approximately 1,000 yards if there is interest.
Participants should park along the greenbelt or on Pacific Coast Highway in Sunset Beach. The Big Red Bus will be at Seal Beach Pier at finish and bring swimmers back to the Daschbach house for food, drink and celebration.
The inaugural Michele Daschbach Fast Memorial Swim took place on July 7 of last year. Fifty-nine swimmers, paddlers, and kayakers participated as well as Michele’s husband, Patrick Fast, and three children – son Patrick, 21, and daughters Lisa, 16, and Laura, 18.
Michele was a daily swimmer. It is said she was often the first person in the pool at McGaugh Elementary School in Seal Beach each day.
Her brother Rooney is an accomplished open water swimmer; he decided it was fitting to honor her with an open water swim in her memory.
For more information, contact: Rooney Daschbach at rooney.daschbach@cushwake.com.
