The Thunder Bay Schooners (TBS) Swim Club has been invited to compete in an international swim meet this season Fifteen swimmers and their families are headed to Bad Bergzabern Germany where the kids will swim in a pentathlon meet alongside age group swimmers from around the world the team will travel to Bad Bergzabern to represent their club hometown and the United States in the ninth Internationales PAMINA Nachwuchsschwimmfest Challenge Trophy of EU Kommission The team will hold practices during the week before events get underway March 14 and 15 The meet consists of 100 meter races in each of the four strokes – back breast and freestyle – and a 200 meter Individual Medley and will be attended by the teams of approximately 30 nations including Belgium swimmers get to mingle with those from other countries at a dance and awards ceremony  “The Schooners will be the sole team coming from the U.S this year,” Schooners coach DeAnn Carter said we don’t typically get to travel together; each swimmer gets him or herself to meets with family members Traveling and competing together on this scale is an incredible opportunity The kids will create lifetime memories in and out of the pool.” Swimmers attending include: Ben Adamiak,16; Evie Bicker 12; Andrew Dargis,15; Nicholas Dargis,12; Liam Heraghty,15; Mia Lenning,14; Tanner Male-King,11; Garet McQuarrie,14; Logan Mill,11; John Short,14; Kara Short,12; Rachel Suszek,17; Izzy Szymanski,11; Madison Szymanski,15; and Tilly Williams,15 Carter and fellow coaches Joe Roesner and Ellie Siegert will also attend Since not all TBS club members will attend each participating swimmer is responsible for the costs associated with the experience Businesses and individuals interested in supporting travel expenses for the kids or to help provide matching competition swimwear/warm up suits are asked to contact the Thunder Bay Schooners Board at info.tbsst@gmail.com or connect with Coach Carter at (817) 528-1342 Today's breaking news and more in your inbox Copyright © 2025 Alpena News Publishing Company | https://www.thealpenanews.com | 130 Park Place This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Kathryn Brenzel | The Express-TimesFacebookJacob Grecco An 8-year-old boy scheduled to fly home from Germany Wednesday after failed treatment for his rare brain cancer died tonight before he could take the flight that well-wishers bought him so he could spend his final moments with his family where he was in a medically induced coma earlier today Jacob Grecco arrived in Germany two weeks ago with the hope that an alternative treatment could help a bleak diagnosis doctors said he might not make it back to the United States His family couldn’t afford to bring him home but within 24 hours of publicizing their predicament a primarily Web-driven community rallied to secure a medical flight home from Germany Donations poured through the “Jacob’s Prayer Warriors” Facebook page and his website “The family is extremely appreciative of the hope they gave us the community gave us,” Mike Grecco said shortly after his son’s death He said his son’s remains would be returned to the U.S Members posted messages today on the Facebook group’s wall others detailing their efforts to spread Jacob’s story said she didn’t know Jacob but was calling media outlets to make sure they knew about the family’s situation Jacob Grecco’s foe first appeared in the form of a seizure a little more than a year ago He was eventually diagnosed with Gliomatosis cerebri widespread tumor that can cause parts of the brain to enlarge National Institutes of Health’s Genetic & Rare Diseases Information Center Doctors said he had six months to a year to live His father said the family didn’t let the repeated phrase “no cure” defeat them “That answer is completely and totally unacceptable,” Mike Grecco recalled saying to Jacob’s mother “We never had a doubt that we were going to fight.” After exhausting several treatments — chemotherapy radiation and shunt surgery among them — Jacob’s condition deteriorated in June His family sought an alternative treatment as a final chance to improve the boy’s health a treatment currently under study that exposes tissues to high heat in an effort to shrink tumors A web-based community mobilized to raise more than $20,000 to help bring Jacob to BioMed Clinic in Germany to receive the treatment dubbed “The Hero,” appears on his own website as a caped character inviting visitors to join his crusade against cancer an older stepbrother and one younger stepbrother His family described him as an energetic child who loved superheroes He managed to smile even when enduring pain known to debilitate grown men Even while in the throes of intensive cancer treatment His father recalled his son hugging the valets at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia “That’s the kind of kid he was,” Mike Grecco said Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices A planned overseas trip for the Thunder Bay Schooners will have to wait another year Amid worldwide concerns about the spread of the coronavirus the Schooners will not be participating in the ninth PAMINA Swimming Festival in Bad Bergzabern Fifteen swimmers and several coaches were scheduled to leave on March 9 for the two-day festival on March 14-15 but coach DeAnn Carter found out last Friday the meet was cancelled by the German Olympic Committee and German Minister of Health “I was completely shocked and devastated I sat there and re-read the email over and over again just wanting to make sure I’d read it right,” Carter said “To have to face them that day at swim practice was so hard They were so upset because they’ve worked so hard to go to this meet.” The email Carter received read in part: “Since most of our swim friends and guests of the competition come from areas in which the coronavirus has already occurred we decided to cancel the meet after talking to the responsible authorities and the sports association….It truly wasn’t an easy decision for us and we are disappointed at some point But there’s no doubt–health comes first.” The number of coronavirus cases around the globe has topped 95,000 and nearly 90 countries have been affected The number of confirmed cases in Germany is at more than 200 such that the governments of some teams have already prohibited participation in competitions abroad There have also been discussions about cancelling the 2020 Summer Olympics I never truly dreamed that the coronavirus would even touch us let alone cause something of this magnitude for us,” Carter said The Schooners have been planning for the meet for the past year fundraising and preparing to be the United States’ representative overseas members of the Schooners had special team jackets ordered with “USA” and a map of Michigan printed on the back The team also bought swim caps to wear during competition and extra caps to trade with their fellow competitors which brings together youth teams from approximately 30 nations was scheduled to be held on March 14-15 with several events including 100 meter races in the backstroke breaststroke and free style as well as a 200 meter individual medley “It didn’t seem like it was actually going to happen we get this opportunity,” Ben Adamiak “It’s a lot of daily working out staying in condition and then when it gets closer it’s about working a lot on technique and the finer details of swimming Carter had several teams participate in the meet as a coach in Texas and international teams would in turn come to swim in the United States as part of an exchange program When Carter got the invite last year and presented it to the Schooners’ board the idea was well-received and families of Schooners’ swimmers planned to pay their own way for the trip Despite the disappointment over the sudden cancellation The competition will be held on March 20-21 2021 and all but one of the 15 Schooners who were set to attend this year will be able to compete so we’re trying to stay positively and say another year to fundraise and earn even more money,'” Carter said The Schooners have received some donations from local groups and held various fundraisers in the past year including a bottle drive in February that ultimately netted more than $1,700 Carter also shared the Schooners’ story on Twitter shorty after the cancellation announcement and ultimately communicated with the corporate office at United Airlines many of which will likely be used for next year’s trip Though the 2021 meet is still more than a year away the Schooners are still plenty excited about the opportunity who has been swimming with the club for three years has already been texting Carter every day with a countdown clock “I was really sad and I was really mad but it’s just not what God had in mind “I was just really excited for the experience It’s like nothing I’ve ever heard of before and I can’t wait.” The brightness and warmth of the summer is a chance for us to recharge our batteries But when the sunny days get shorter and the colder seasons beckon then we start to need a bit of comfort and calm There are plenty of ways to top up your energy levels in harmony with nature in Rhineland‑Palatinate: being close to the water breathing in fresh air and feeling the earth under your feet Our journey through the state tracks down the elements and even discovers a fifth one that is typical of Rhineland‑Palatinate There are an impressive 15 mineral springs The spa resort of Bad Ems sits in an idyllic spot in the lower Lahn valley near Koblenz and is an ideal spot to regain strength from the element of water Bad Ems was one of the most popular spa resorts in Germany Many European monarchs and artists had summer residences built in this ‘global spa’ in the 19th century And the tradition lives on. People still flock to Bad Ems to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. The thermal spa featuring the first river sauna in Germany is especially popular Visitors can swim in 6,600 square metres of thermal waters leave everyday stresses behind them in the sauna park enjoy a massage to relieve their tensions and exercise in the fitness area Or simply daydream while enjoying the view over the Lahn Heraclitus famously declared ‘panta rhei’ (everything flows) View of the outdoor pool at the Emser Therme thermal baths in Bad Ems Relaxing at FlussSauna on the Lahn at the Emser Therme: in Bad Ems Fire: Bad Bertrich volcanic Eifel thermal spa The volcanic spa is an idyllic spot and the perfect place to get closer to the force of fire. There is fire blazing under the ground here, and the Vulkaneifel Therme in Bad Bertrich captures its energy The swimming pools are filled with healing waters straight from the volcanic depths Pleasant naturally warm temperatures of 32 degrees Celsius and valuable natural minerals are good for the body The Vulkaneifel Therme is wonderfully relaxing and the only Glauber salt thermal spa in the whole of Germany The saunas also lean heavily on volcanic activity Five saunas from different volcanic springs and a steam bath bring warmth into the depths of your body and increase your feeling of well-being There are luxurious relaxation rooms where you can enjoy the lasting effects of the heat and let relaxation flow through your body Relax in the mineral waters of the Vulkaneifel Therme Bad Bertrich Outside area at the Vulkaneifel Therme in Bad Bertrich Air: Salinental health park in Bad Kreuznach just in the middle of Rhineland‑Palatinate Take a deep breath – the fresh breeze is good for the lungs and the bronchial tubes Relaxing walk along the graduation works in Salinental Wine is the core product that shapes the environment from picture-perfect sloping vineyards to cosy wine bars But WellVinEss is not just about wandering through the vineyards before enjoying a glass or two; wine and grapes also play a central role in the treatments These include bathing in Riesling or Pinot Noir (the former stimulates a grapeseed oil massage or a grapeseed peel A Rhineland‑Palatinate journey for the senses In its idyllic setting between the Moselle and the volcanic Eifel the spa resort of Bad Bertrich in the GesundLand Vulkaneifel is home to the only Glauber’s salt thermal spring in Germany The spa resort of Bad Ems offers a range of preventative wellness and restorative treatments to escape the stress of everyday life the state-accredited spa resort of Bad Kreuznach is the largest open-air inhalatorium in Europe Enjoy your time in the Felke town of Bad Sobernheim on the barefoot trail or with a treatment in one of the leading medical wellness hotels in Rhineland Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland have healing baths climatic health resorts and spas where you can nurture your vital spirits in relaxing… Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.