Swim for a cause at iSWIM for Jenny, August 9 -15
Special Event Celebration to Kick Off iSwim for Jenny will be at Norman and Jean Reach Pool, August 9, at 10 a.m. with Miami-Dade County District 13 Commissioner Esteban Bovo, Jr.
(MIAMI, July 28, 2014) — It’s the height of summer, which for many is also the height of swimming season. But sadly, too many children still do not know how to swim which is why the Swim for Jenny Memorial Fund and the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade are once again partnering with Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces to host iSwim for Jenny, a weeklong swimming fundraiser to raise money for learn-to-swim scholarships for children who don’t know how to swim. Miami-Dade County District 13 Commissioner Esteban Bovo, Jr. will present his donation check and sound the horn to mark the start of iSwim during a special event featuring the Palm Springs North Swim Team, on August 9, 10 a.m., at the Norman and Jean Reach Pool, 7901 NW 176 Street, in Miami. Guests, including scholarship recipients, will reinforce the importance of learning to swim, then countdown and cheer on the youth swimming laps to save lives.
“Here in South Florida where there are so many beaches, canals and lakes, and where due to the warm climate many people have pools or easy access to pools, learning to swim is a necessary skill for children,” said Commissioner Bovo. “I want to thank all the participants of iSwim for joining in the effort to raise money for free learn-to-swim lessons and I want to thank the Swim for Jenny Fund that has awarded 2,500 learn-to-swim scholarships to date to South Florida children.”
Swimmers of all levels and abilities and local swim teams can download the registration and pledge form at www.swimforjenny.org. Swimmers pick a participating pool where they will swim; set a goal for the number of laps they will swim daily, and recruit family and friends for pledges. All donations must be turned in on August 15, between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at any of the five approved Miami-Dade Parks’ pools/donation collection sites listed below. The five participating Miami-Dade Parks’ Pools are:
AD Barnes Pool Palm Springs North Pool (Norman & Jean Reach Park)
3401 SW 72 Avenue, Miami, FL 7901 NW 176 Street, Miami, FL
305-665-1626 305-558-3762
South Dade Pool (Helen Sands) Tamiami Pool
16350 SW 280 Street, Miami, FL 11201 SW 24 Street, Miami, FL
305-248-1386 305-223-7077
Goulds Pool
21805 SW 114 Ave., Miami, FL
305-233-0537
To register your swim team at a different pool than those listed above, or to register your community pool as an official site for iSwim for Jenny, please contact Jim O’Connor at A.D. Barnes Pool at (305)665-1626.
The Swim for Jenny Memorial Fund was created in honor of Jenny Hong Nguyen, a 12-year old girl from South Florida who lost her life on April 16, 2011 when she entered water too deep for her swimming skills. The Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade established the Swim for Jenny Memorial Fund to provide water safety information and beginner learn-to-swim lessons to underserved children.
Nationally, drowning is the second-leading cause of injury-related death among children ages one to 14. Florida has the second-highest number of drowning incidents in the U.S. and Miami-Dade County leads the state in drowning deaths with an average of 45 a year.
Help take preventative action and take the pledge this summer at iSwim for Jenny. For more information, to download a pledge form, or to make a donation, please visit www.swimforjenny.org.
About The Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade
The Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that supports the Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department’s effort to further develop Miami-Dade County’s world-class parks system for residents and visitors. Its mission is to create a healthier, more livable and sustainable Miami community by ensuring the implementation of the Parks Open Space Master Plan and the development of year-round park and recreation programs for local children, adults and people with disabilities. For more information, visit www.liveaparklife.org.
About the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department:
Nationally accredited, a three-time winner of the NRPA National Gold Medal Award, winner of the 2013 Florida Governor’s Sustained Excellence Award and the 2009 Florida Governor’s Sterling Award for excellence in management and operations, Miami-Dade County Parks is the third largest county park system in the United States, consisting of 260 parks and 12,825 acres of land. It is one of the most unique park and recreation systems in the world. Made up of more than just playgrounds and athletic fields, it also comprises out-of-school, sports-development, and summer-camp programs; programs for seniors and people with disabilities; educational nature centers and nature preserves; environmental restoration efforts; arts and culture programs and events; the renowned Zoo Miami, Deering Estate at Cutler and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden; the Crandon Tennis Center, home of the Sony Open; golf courses; beaches; marinas; campgrounds; pools; and more. For information about Miami-Dade County Parks call 3-1-1, or visit www.miamidade.gov/parks/.
To request material in accessible format, information on access for persons with disabilities, or sign language interpreter services (7 days in advance), call (305) 755-7848.