The Prevent Drowning Foundation of San Diego and San Diego Junior Lifeguards held the first session of their annual Pier Jump on Monday, July 8. Dozens of Junior Lifeguards, parents and members of the public jumped off the Ocean Beach Pier and swam back to the beach during this annual fundraiser.
“Monday, we celebrate this important milestone with our Junior Lifeguards as well as fundraise to help continue our efforts in teaching every child in San Diego County how to swim,” said “Buc” Buchanan, president of the Prevent Drowning Foundation of San Diego. “Every $100 donation can save a life by funding swim lessons for one child in our community.” Did you know:
The goal of swim lessons is to make children safer in, on, and around water.  • Among children 1-14, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury death.  • Formal swimming lessons reduces the likelihood of childhood drowning by 88 percent.  • 79 percent of children in households with incomes less than $50,000 have little-to-no swimming ability. • Research shows 64 percent of African-American, 45 percent of Hispanic/Latino, and 40 percent of Caucasian children have little to no swimming ability. The mission of the Prevent Drowning Foundation of San Diego is to save lives by funding swim lessons for underserved youth and providing aquatic safety education for all. Drowning is preventable and it is their vision to teach every child in San Diego County how to swim.
Foundation impacts for 2018: $150,000 funded impacting more than 10,500 kids. This includes 6,000 swim lessons/visits to the beach experiences along with 4,500 aquatic safety lectures.