A regional business leader is taking on a 20-kilometre open-water swim from Anguilla to St Martin and back to raise funds for community projects.
Dominic Boon, vice president of People, Liberty Latin America – the parent company of Flow Anguilla, believes this is a challenge that has never been done before.
He has set up an online fundraiser to allow supporters to contribute to the Liberty Caribbean Foundation which will fund projects in both Anguilla and St Martin.
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Money from the foundation will support the Department of Education’s Project Inspire, a programme helping students in Anguilla access digital education.
It will also go towards Anguilla’s All Nations United Swim Club which teaches young people the life-saving skill of swimming.
In a LinkedIn post on 23 September, Boon wrote: “Bridging the digital divide in the Caribbean and helping young people learn sea safety skills are two important personal drivers for me.”
He added: “We’ll be visiting the initiatives to see the impact first-hand, ensuring every dollar raised turns into real change for Caribbean communities.”
In an update on 23 October, Boon said he was waiting for a “decent weather window” in order to complete the fundraising swim.
Recent storms have made the journey “a bit unsafe” for both himself and his crew, he said, adding: “We’re biding our time waiting for the right moment when we can go out there and get it done.”
Boon is not a stranger to long distance open water swims – in 2024 he swam nearly 14km in open water from Canouan to Union Island in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
He raised nearly US$12,000 to restore and equip computer laboratories at schools that had been affected by Hurricane Beryl.
Prior to that, he swam from Tortola in the British Virgin Islands to St John in the US Virgin Islands in 2023.
To date, Boon has raised $1,937 for his upcoming swim. Those wishing to sponsor him can access the JustGiving page here.
Watch Boon talk about his swim while training in the Florida Cays below:
