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71 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, September 12, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 14, 2004 %%$$cutline$$%% Swimming his way to help Medford schools By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune Lost Creek Lake was quiet Friday morning with just a few fishermen and one highly dedicated swimmer with an equally dedicated companion rowing alongside in a boat. Rex Ashcraft, 74, of Central Point, swam the length of the lake to raise money for Medford schools. Neighbor Richard Swaney rowed alongside to make sure Ashcraft didn’t get into trouble. "He didn’t want to use the electric motor so he rowed the whole way," Ashcraft said. "He’s bad as me — bullheaded." "We started just after daylight," Ashcraft said. "There was hardly any traffic on the lake. I saw just a few boats far off as I passed the first boat ramp and a few fishermen at Takelma Point that I swung around so I wouldn’t mess them up." From his 6 a.m. start, Ashcraft swam five hours and 15 minutes from Peyton Bridge to Takelma Point. Advertisement He ran into more differences in water temperature than he expected, but the weather favored him with a tailwind to start and stillness later in the morning. He had worried that a headwind could offer up an extra challenge. An avid swimmer since childhood, Ashcraft swims regularly at the Medford YMCA and the pool in the mobile home park where he lives. The exercise helped him recover from a quintuple bypass four years ago. He said he can swim 1 mph in the pool and he was pleased to keep up the pace across the lake. About halfway through his journey, his legs started to cramp, so he had to float and stretch a bit until he could continue. "I never touched the boat though. That was just there if I got into real trouble," he said. Ashcraft hopes his successful swim will help keep culinary-arts and automotive-technology programs at Medford’s high schools afloat. He contacted local businesses and individuals to raise $150 for the programs before he set out on the swim. Both programs have constant needs to upgrade equipment to train kids on the tools they would use in the workplace, school officials said. Money for equipment has been scarce since the school district had to trim its budget to compensate for reduced revenues from the state. Donors can still send checks made payable to "Charity Swim" to Washington Mutual Bank, 475 E. Pine St., Central Point, OR 97502. No matter how much he raises for the schools, Ashcraft felt good about his swim Friday afternoon. "I’m ready to do it again tomorrow," he said with a chuckle. "Or maybe in a week." Reach reporter Anita Burke at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities