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Get in, give back

| June 28, 2018 1:00 AM

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Masters swimmer Steve Omi's friends and loved ones created a foundation and a swimming event in his honor after he died of cancer in 1994. The 25th annual Steve Omi Memorial Open Water Swim will take place July 15 at Sanders Beach. (Courtesy photo)

By DEVIN WEEKS

Staff Writer

COEUR d’ALENE — As the final swimmers are splashing their way to the finish line, Nancy Lowery, at the rear of the pack, continues an annual tradition.

She sends up a message to her dear friend, the late Steve Omi, knowing in her heart he can hear her.

"I turn around and look out and thank Steve for the lessons that he taught me because they have helped me get through many times of adversity in my life," Lowery said Wednesday. "Some of us still shake our heads and wonder how 25 years have gone by. But in 25 years, you don't forget a special person like Steve Omi, especially the impact he had on the lives of his family, the community of Coeur d'Alene and certainly my life."

A masters swimmer, dedicated friend and advocate for youth swimming, education and safety, Omi died from cancer in 1994.

"He fought a valiant fight," Lowery said. "He always had a smile, he always had a quip. He had a dry sense of humor. I said, 'How is it you get through this so well with such a positive attitude?' And he said, 'We all are dealt a hand of cards, and we don’t get to pick which cards we get, and I choose to play the cards the best way that I can.'"

After Omi's death, the Steve Omi Foundation and the Steve Omi Memorial Open Water Swim were formed to honor his life and award scholarships to college-bound swimmers. This year celebrates the 25th year of that milestone, as well as the life of a beloved friend.

"This really is a tribute to an amazing person," Lowery said. "Most people who do the swim (now) didn’t know Steve, but the tribute to his dedication and the swimming community and determination and positive way of living is a good message."

Omi board member Kyle Rutley of Coeur d'Alene swam the Omi swim four years in a row before graduating from North Idaho Christian School in 2005.

Even though he didn't know Omi, he knows this swim is an important part of the Lake City's swimming culture.

"It's a classic race that has always been going on for as long as I can remember," Rutley said. "I’m big on keeping those races that mean something not only to the locals but to the new imports as well, keeping Coeur d'Alene special.

"It's exhilarating," he said. "You see your friends' kids growing up and they're swimming, they're competing. It's just a warm feeling not only about the area but about this swim."

Proceeds from the Omi Swim have previously helped fund college swimming scholarships and the third-grade swim program, but Lowery said this year the proceeds will be used to expand education to more community children about open-water safety and drowning prevention.

"It's such an important, important thing because of all the kids who drown in Idaho," she said. "The mission is to promote swimming and swim safety in youth."

The 25th annual Steve Omi Memorial Open Water Swim will take place July 15 on Sanders Beach. The 1-mile swim begins at 9 a.m. with check-in at 8 a.m. and awards at 10:20 a.m.

Entry is $25. Early/online registration closes July 13. Souvenir T-shirts are an additional $15 each and can be ordered with registration before Saturday. Late and race-day walk-up entry is $35.

Info: www.omiswim.com