Olympic Gold Medalist Janet Evans Joins LA84 Foundation To Kick Off 2013 Summer Swim Program

LA84 gets kids in the pool for swim lessons and water sports to help reduce the risk of drowning across Southern California

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LA84 Foundation

Jun 05, 2013, 12:00 ET

LOS ANGELES, June 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As public pools open across Los Angeles for the summer season, the LA84 Foundation is doing its part to promote swim safety. The statistics are staggering – 70% of African American children and 60% of Latino children cannot swim, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 10 people drown every day in the United States. Participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the likelihood of drowning by 88%, according to a study by Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. The LA84 Foundation, endowed with surplus funds from the 1984 Olympic Games, is providing over $400,000 in grants to fund swim lessons and organized sports in public pools in 14 different local municipalities, which will help reach 15,000 children across the region.

Special guest Janet Evans, an Olympic gold medalist swimmer and mother to two young children, will speak about the importance of teaching children how to swim. She will join with International Olympic Committee Member and LA84 Foundation President Anita L. DeFrantz, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, John Wicker of LA Department of Rec & Parks and USA Swimming Foundation Executive Director Debbie Hesse on Friday, June 7^th at Alondra Community Regional Park Pool to kick-off LA84's summer swim program and celebrate the opening of Los Angeles County pools.

WHAT:	The kick-off of LA84 Foundation's 28^th annual Summer Swim Program will highlight the safety benefits of swim lessons and organized swimming sports for children and detail how parents across the region can find LA84-funded swim programs this summer.

WHEN:	Friday, June 7, 2013; 1:30 p.m.

WHO:	Janet Evans: Olympic Gold Medalist
	The Hon. Mark Ridley-Thomas: Los Angeles County Supervisor
	Russ Guiney, Director, LA County Department of Parks & Recreation
	Anita L. DeFrantz: President, LA84 Foundation
	Louis Pecot: LA County Lifeguard and Former LA84 Summer Swim Program Participant
	Debbie Hesse: Executive Director of the USA Swimming Foundation

WHERE:	Alondra Community Regional Park Pool
	3353 Redondo Beach Boulevard
	El Camino Village, CA 90260

VISUALS:	After the speaking portion of the program, children from local LA84-funded swim programs will jump in the pool together to celebrate the official opening of the Los Angeles County pools and the kick-off of LA84's Summer Swim Program. Janet Evans will lead a short lesson for the young swimmers.