Meghan Chisholm joined five other Saskatchewan women in a swim across Lake Diefenbaker to raise money for a women's and children's organization recently.

They estimated the length to be roughly 163 km and cleverly advertised the event as 1 lake, 6 ladies, and 3 days. 

The swim started at a brisk 5 a.m. at the Saskatchewan Landing, and the women swam in one hour increments, relay-style, to finish at 1 p.m. later on that Thursday at the Gardiner Dam.

According to Chisholm, Dione Tatlow organized the event after a similar venture two years ago, and Chisholm describes Tatlow as bringing their group of dedicated women together. 

Four of the six who took part in the relay this year, swam the length of Last Mountain Lake in 2020.

Chisholm said that Tatlow had asked her how she felt after they completed it, to which Chisholm responded that she'd had fun, but didn't feel challenged. 

"It was at the point where we needed to find something more that was going to test us and our abilities," Chisholm explained. "I have never done anything like this before and I just wanted to see if I was physically and mentally able to complete it."

For the past few years, they have partnered with a women's and children's organization called the YWCA in Regina, to fundraise for their programs.

This relay played a huge role in their fundraising for the La Ronge Piwapan Women's Centre and the YWCA, and the group has raised a total of $13,996.00 so far.

After they completed their plunge across Lake Diefenbaker, the women sat down for lunch together where the topic of conversation was their potential next challenges, looking at double the length of the swim they just completed.