• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Man swimming across Geneva Lake to raise money

Photo

Kenneth J. Brauer

LAKE GENEVA — If you’re boating on Geneva Lake early Thursday, July 22, look out for Ken Brauer.

Better yet, meet him on shore with a check.

The Walworth County sheriff’s deputy is swimming 7.5 miles across Geneva Lake to help the families of police officers killed in the line of duty.

Brauer is raising money for Concerns of Police Survivors, which provides counseling and other resources to help 15,000 family members of fallen law enforcement officers. In late July, the organization holds the COPS Kids camp, a weeklong summer camp in East Troy that combines outdoor activities with counseling and teambuilding for children ranging to 6 to 14 years old. The camp involves the entire family, who are taught teamwork is necessary for handling grief.

Brauer started volunteering with the camp in 2005, when a fellow deputy encouraged him to check it out. Brauer said he was “hooked” as soon as he saw how the program impacted the kids and their parents.

Mentors at the camp help children cope by having them recount memories of their lost parents or guardians and meet other kids in the same position.

“They arrive a wreck and leave completely different kids,” Brauer said. “The combo of the camp activities and meeting other kids that are going through the same thing makes a world a difference because they realize they’re not alone.”

Because the organization counts on charitable donations, it can take all the help it can get. Last year’s camp cost more than $119,000.

Brauer volunteers for the camp every year but went further in 2007 when he first swam across Geneva Lake to raise money for the organization. Since he raised nearly double his $2,500 goal, Brauer is aiming for the more ambitious goal of $10,000 this year.

He’s also doubling his efforts. In addition to the swim, Brauer will be hosting “Custard for COPS Kids” at the Elkhorn Culver’s from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, July 19. Ten percent of all proceeds will be donated to COPS.

Now the only thing Brauer has to do is swim. Brauer’s 2007 effort was the first time he’d ever made the voyage and he is confident he’ll be able to repeat. But because the end of his voyage might run into morning lake traffic, he’ll have Lake Geneva police escorting him by boat and kayak the whole way.