Our Team
Patrick Reyes
Founder - Beavertail Open Water
Race Director - Around Beavertail Swim
Pat is a former NCAA Division I college water polo player and lifelong swimmer. In his swimming debut at the age of four, he powered his way to an impressive last place finish in a summer league kickboard race. He went on to become a high school All-American before fully dedicating his time to water polo. Now back to racing, Pat is a US Masters Swimming All-American, chasing age group records in the pool and having recently won 5 Open Water National Championships in 2025 across disciplines ranging from 1 to 11 miles. However, the bulk of his training revolves around the completion of ultra-marathon (20km+) distances.
In 2024, Pat became the first person to complete all seven stages and 120 miles of the world’s longest staged marathon swim, 8 Bridges, in seven consecutive days. This required him to swim between 14 to 20 miles each day. In the lead up to this endeavor, he led a fundraiser for Beavertail Open Water that has allowed us to allocate our first science and research grant to the local marine conservation community. Pat has also completed other significant marathon swims like 20 Bridges (46km) and the Swim Around Key West (20km).
Meg Wallitsch
Intern - Marketing & Communications Lead
Michael Garr
Advisor / Founder of the Around Beavertail Swim
In 1997 Mike took up masters swimming, and began regularly swimming in the pool with the South County Y masters group, and in the ocean at Sachuest Beach. From that point on he learned to swim more efficiently and faster, and eventually began to shed the wetsuit in the ocean and take on longer challenges, as well as leading others to enjoy the ocean with him. He did four relay swims in the Boston Light swim series with swimming friends between 2012 and 2017, and in 2017 he and two friends conceived and performed the first Around Beavertail Swim, on October 1. Since then Mike has organized or helped organize the swim each year, eventually bringing it to the point it is at currently.
His hope has always been to make the ABS something others can enjoy as a supreme challenge, even as he did. Mike gets great joy from swimming regularly in the open waters of Narragansett Bay and the ocean off Rhode Island, and uses swimming as a lifelong challenge and healthy activity for body, mind, and spirit. In retirement he helps run a masters swim program at the Navy Base in Newport, is a parttime lifeguard, and enjoys his hobbies of Art, sailing, skiing, clarinet, golf, and freemasonry. Mike and his wife both swim as masters swimmers in the pool and also enjoy traveling as much as their budget and time will allow, so far visiting Galapagos, Scotland, and France.
Meg is a lifelong swimmer, president of URI club water polo, and secretary of URI club swimming. In each of these roles, she has prioritized building community through sport. Her favorite memories of swimming include competing at Master’s Nationals in San Antonio in 2025 and formerly coaching young swimmers, which sparked her passion for giving back to the sport that shaped her.
As a journalism major at URI, Meg has learned various communication strategies to engage audiences and convey a message. She’s developed a love for telling other people’s stories through print, photography, and video. She is also passionate about community outreach and connecting people through media.
Meg is excited to bring her combined love of swimming and storytelling to Beavertail Open Water, helping highlight the athletes, volunteers, donors, and community members who make our events meaningful.
