Swim Star: Cullen Jones promotes water safety

The Associated Press: Jones promotes water safety: "The group of elementary-age children got a treat Wednesday as the Olympic gold medalist gave them a swim lesson to launch a six-city event called 'Make a Splash with Cullen Jones.'
The initiative, which is sponsored by the USA Swimming Foundation and ConocoPhillips, is aimed at reducing drownings among minority youth by promoting the availability of low or no-cost swimming lessons.
Jones is the perfect spokesman for the program after becoming the first African American to break a world record in swimming in an Olympic contested event in 2006. His success continued last summer in Beijing when he won a gold medal with the U.S. 400-meter freestyle relay team.

Wow. Teaching kids to swim! Way to go.

In Pittsburgh I've been punching up a rushed budget for a weed and seed grant to do some aquatics at Greenway Middle School, also known as Pittsburgh Classical Academy and the Pittsburgh Gifted Center.

I think I'll call it "Weed and Seed and Water."

There isn't a Rec Center in the western end of town. There isn't a lot of capacity in that section of town either in terms of nonprofit organizations. Historically, that part of town has not had those institutional players and they've not been needed. So, it does present some interesting challenges.

If you want to see the budget, send me an email.

Just heard from the principal at the school that the charges to use the indoor swim pool are $41.50 per hour in the times we had hoped for due to the cost of the janitors. We wanted to have sessions on some weekdays from 4 pm to 9 pm and also on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm.

Well, there are other work arounds. Perhaps we'll swim when the janitors are on the clock.

Weed and Seed money runs until the end of September, so fall dates are possible as well. And, volunteers too.