Charity swim raises more than $50,000

The 600 swimmers who turned out for Sunday's Great Chesapeake Bay Swim raised more than $50,000 for the March of Dimes and other regional causes, race officials said yesterday.

Charles J. Nabit, race director, said the exact tally won't be known for at least a week.

By that time, all merchandise sales and final pledges will have been logged in.

Last year's race raised a record $61,000, Nabit said.

He said the bulk of this year's funds will go to the Maryland Chapter of the March of Dimes.

But The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Chesapeake Bay Trust, the Sandy Point State Park Foundation and others will also benefit from the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim, Nabit said.