As the 32nd annual Buzzards Bay Swim approaches, 23 Tri-town residents are preparing for the 1.2 mile swim from New Bedford to Fairhaven, set to take place on Saturday, June 28.

Rochester resident Phil Whittaker will be participating, along with other residents across the Tri-town, on the For Emma team.

Whittaker and Emma’s friends and family formed the For Emma team three years ago after Emma Whittaker, who was a sophomore at Old Rochester at the time, passed away in 2022.

As of Tuesday, May 24, the team has raised $13,284, which will support youth access to Buzzards Bay for kids who might not otherwise get a chance to experience it, STEAM education for girls and mental health support for children.

Marion residents Sam, Alan and Jessica Harris and Dave McGinnis will compete among Mattapoisett residents Mark Dorman and Morgan Browning and the more than 275 swimmers registered for the swim.

Swimmers will venture across 1.2 miles in the open water, starting in New Bedford’s Outer Harbor from Cisco Brewers Kitchen and Bar to Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven.

Organized by the Buzzards Bay Coalition, the event supports clean water initiatives in the region.

For more information visit  www.savebuzzardsbay.org/swim.