Miami One-Mile Ocean Swim to Provide Scholarships for “Learn to Swim” Program
By Erik Hankin
MIAMI, Fla., April 14. WITH drowning the number one cause of childhood fatalities in Miami Dade County, the Nadadores of South Florida Masters Swim Team is doing its part to ensure children’s safety in Miami Dade’s pools and beaches.
On Saturday, April 19, the organization will host its third annual Splendor by the Beach, a fundraising event that includes a one-mile swim in the ocean followed by social events.
Swimmers of all levels are invited to take part in the event, with proceeds to benefit the Learn to Swim Program, a certified American Red Cross program administered by the City of Miami Parks and Recreation and Nadadores of South Florida. Funds will provide scholarships for programs at two pools where the need is greatest – Hadley Pool, which serves the Wynwood Allapattah and Liberty City areas, and Jose Marti, which serves Overtown and East Little Havana.
The Learn to Swim program is a seven-level water safety program that takes children through all levels of water safety skills. All classes are taught by certified American Red Cross Water Safety Instructors.
The one-mile ocean swim takes place at the 12th Street Beach on Miami Beach at 10 AM on April 19, with registration beginning at 8:30 AM. The evening activities — Splendor by the Pool — are open to all, whether or not they take part in the morning swim. The evening event takes place at 7 PM at FIU Biscayne Bay Campus Aquatics Center (N.E. 151st Street and Biscayne Blvd.) and includes dinner, raffle, swim races, a swimsuit fashion show hosted by Adora and dancing to the talents of DJ Shannon.
Nadadores of South Florida is a non-profit athletic, social and community-service organization comprised of members and friends of the South Florida gay and lesbian community. Its mission is to promote participation in swimming, charity and social interaction in our community regardless of race, creed, color or sexual orientation. Its purpose is to positively represent the unique diversity of the South Florida community to other communities throughout the world through participation in competitive and social aquatic events.
A Masters swim team, Nadadores of South Florida is affiliated with United States Masters Swimming (USMS) and International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics (IGLA). The team holds pool practice four times a week and hosts an ocean swim every Sunday, where both visitors and residents of South Florida are welcome.
Those wishing to attend may participate in just one event or both the swim and the evening social. Participants in the one-mile swim are encouraged to seek sponsorships, with a minimum total donation of $30.
Admission to the evening party is a $40 donation. For tickets, please mail a check and include name and contact information, to:
Nadadores
3426 Prairie Avenue
Miami Beach, Florida 33140
Further information, as well as registration forms, are available on the web at www.nadadores.org. Phone: Mario Chyzyk (305) 573-8388 or email aquamc@aol.com