95-year-old grandmother swims across Cedar Lake for fundraiser

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A grandma from Anoka has every right to feel exhausted this week. Sandy Abeler is 95 years old, and on Sunday she swam across Cedar Lake, near Upsala, Minnesota, to raise money for summer camp scholarships at Camp Lebanon.

It was her eighth time and final time making the half-a-mile journey, "I don’t even think about the water temperature, I know I’ve got a mission to do to get from this point to that point so I just get started," Abeler told FOX 9 on Monday.

She does it to raise money for camp scholarships that allow people in need to grow in their faith, by attending summer faith camp about 30 miles north of St. Cloud at Camp Lebanon.

"The need is great," Abeler said. "More people than ever need help."

Her goal in the 2022 year was to raise $30,000, and as of Monday, she was already three-quarters of the way there.

By making it to her goal this year, she’ll have raised a total of $100,000 in eight years.

"I swam my first summer at age 85," Abeler explained.

Each scholarship from the fundraiser is $100, so over the years, Sandy’s efforts have allowed more than 900 people to attend camp.

"I’m going to cry because that’s what it’s all about is getting people to camp," Abeler said.

Click here if you would like to donate to the fundraiser.

A previous version of this story incorrectly said the lake was in Anoka County.