USA Swimming Foundation's Make a Splash with Cullen Jones Tour Presented by Phillips 66 Promotes Importance of Learning to Swim

Tour to Visit Four More Cities This Summer, Continue Educational Push

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 29, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As pools open across the nation, Olympic Gold medal swimmer Cullen Jones and the USA Swimming Foundation, in partnership with Phillips 66, continues their campaign to raise awareness about the importance of learning to swim. The "Make a Splash with Cullen Jones Tour Presented by Phillips 66," which visited Houston and New Orleans in March, will continue with four stops later this year. Additionally, Jones will conduct a satellite media tour on Wednesday, May 30, designed to educate parents on the importance of learning to swim.

The Tour will visit Chicago, Ill., Des Moines, Iowa, San Jose, Calif. and a final city which will be chosen via the Make a Splash for Water Safety Video Contest.

At each tour stop, Jones shares his story about nearly drowning at a water park when he was five years old. Speaking to crowds as large as 1,000 children, Jones communicates the importance of water safety and learning to swim. Additionally, each tour stop includes an in-water lesson and the USA Swimming Foundation and Phillips 66 present a $5,000 grant to a learn-to-swim provider to provide free swimming lessons to local children.

"Every child in America needs to learn how to swim. It is a critical skill that can determine the difference between life and death in a matter of seconds," said Jones, the first African-American male to hold a world record in swimming. "Drowning is an epidemic, but it's an epidemic with a cure. That is why I am so proud to be working with the USA Swimming Foundation and Phillips 66 to educate parents, children and caregivers about the learn-to-swim resources available in their communities. By raising awareness and providing the opportunity for more kids to learn to swim, we are saving lives."

"The USA Swimming Foundation is dedicated to saving lives and building champions, and by raising awareness about the importance of learning to swim and providing the opportunity for kids to take lessons, we are absolutely saving lives," said Debbie Hesse, executive director of the USA Swimming Foundation.

To date, more than 1.2 million kids have taken lessons through the USA Swimming Foundation's Make a Splash initiative. Make a Splash works by educating parents and communities through a national awareness campaign and by aligning learn-to-swim providers to provide children of all backgrounds with the opportunity to learn to swim.  

Phillips 66 and its predecessor company have partnered with USA Swimming for 39 years, and the Make a Splash Tour is a natural extension of the company's comprehensive commitment to safety. "Phillips 66 is committed to safety and we are pleased to partner with the USA Swimming Foundation in recognizing American cities with the same commitment. Our annual support of the Make a Splash Tour embodies the company's focus on safety by reaching out to parents across the nation to build awareness, and by giving thousands of children the opportunity to learn a valuable life-saving skill," said Kristi DesJarlais, manager, Corporate Brand and Community Investment, Phillips 66.

Sobering Drowning Statistics
Approximately 10 people drown every day in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and more than one in five fatal drowning victims are children younger than 14. Drowning is also a silent killer—most young children who drowned in pools were last seen in the home, had been out of sight less than five minutes, and were in the care of one or both parents at the time, according to the Present P. Child Drowning study.

Furthermore, 60-70 percent of African-American and Hispanic children cannot swim, and only 13 percent of kids who come from a non-swimming household will ever learn to swim, according to a national research study by the USA Swimming Foundation and the University of Memphis. African-American children drown at a rate nearly three times higher than their Caucasian peers, the CDC reports.

About the USA Swimming Foundation
The USA Swimming Foundation serves as the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming.  Established in 2004, the Foundation works to strengthen the sport by saving lives and building champions— in the pool and in life. Whether we're equipping our children with the life-saving skill of learn-to-swim, or providing financial support to our heroes on the U.S. National Team, the USA Swimming Foundation aims to provide the wonderful experience of swimming to kids at all levels across the country. The Foundation also serves as the home for our National and Olympic Team Alumni reunions and regional events. The development efforts of the USA Swimming Foundation aim to establish an endowment to strengthen the future of USA Swimming's programs and services. To learn more, visit www.usaswimmingfoundation.org.

About Phillips 66
Headquartered in Houston, TX, Phillips 66 is an advantaged downstream energy company with segment-leading Refining and Marketing (R&M), Midstream and Chemicals businesses. Since 1973, the company's contributions have supported the USA Swimming community through the National Championships and other international competitions, publication of club development materials, and other areas. To learn more about Phillips 66, please visit www.phillips66.com.

About Make a Splash
Make a Splash is the national child-focused water safety initiative of the USA Swimming Foundation. Through its over 500 local partner programs, Make a Splash offers free or discounted swimming lessons or water safety education in 47 states. To find a local partner, visit www.makeasplash.org.

About Cullen Jones
Cullen Jones is one of the fastest freestyle sprinters in the world today and currently holds the American record in the 50 freestyle. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, he was a member of the electrifying 400m freestyle relay team that broke the world record and won Olympic gold in one of the most memorable races in history. With the victory, Cullen became the second African-American to win an Olympic swimming gold medal. He is currently training for the 2012 Olympic Games and trains under coach David Marsh at SwimMAC in Charlotte, N.C.

SOURCE USA Swimming Foundation