Sakakawea Swim for RED SAGE - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Sakakawea Swim for RED SAGE

The Four Bears Bridge is well traveled these days.
On Friday, one man put the miles on UNDER the bridge to raise money for youth in the area.

Fighting wind and waves in the shadow of the Four Bears Bridge.
And encouraged by a friend.
Mark Fox swam Sakakawea for the seventh year in a row.
Not once. Not twice. But seven laps across the great lake.
Mark Fox started the RED SAGE foundation to raise money for youth programs.
For religious or sports camps and fees for projects at school.
With RED SAGE, Mark Fox put his passion to purpose, and this year's swim raised more than $15,000.
(Mark Fox, RED SAGE) "I first want to say thank you to God for giving me the strength to make it and to everybody here, for all the prayers, all their good hearts, good words, good thoughts, without that I could not have made it at all. I hope that we've done something good today. Raise money for a non-profit to help kids to do things in this world."
Starting at five a.m. for a total of over seven hours in the water, Mark Fox completed the twelve mile swim with area youth in mind.
Friends, family and feathered friends waited his arrival on shore.
Fox says that even the chill of autumn had a purpose on his final swim.
(Mark Fox, RED SAGE) "I'm glad that it happened that way. I wanted to make sure that I worked really hard and I'm glad that I was challenged that way and most of all, it's for our young people. I'm just so glad that I made it and I'm glad that we had an opportunity to raise money for children and kids. It's a good thing. I'm just glad to be STANDING here, honestly."
With pruned toes and a happy heart, there was only one thing left to do.
(Mark Fox, RED SAGE) "I'm hungry! Who's hungry? We got some good food up there! It's windy! But we got some good food!"
In New Town, Jennifer Thorgramson, KX News.

Mark Fox says this year was the final time he would take on the Lake Sakakawea swim, however he will continue to find new ways to raise money for RED SAGE.