Jr. guards seek funds for programs
Doug Tabbert
As the city builds the Junior Lifeguards a new home base, its
fund-raising arm has launched a campaign to raise money for an
endowment fund and new equipment.
The Friends of the Junior Lifeguards, a nonprofit group set up to
support the program, kicked off what will be a 14-month effort this
month to raise $750,000. Two-thirds of that sum is slated for an
endowment fund that will enable more scholarships, financial aid
programs and educational programs.
The group hopes to increase the number of scholarships and
educational opportunities available, said Samantha Dieterman, who is
in charge of donor relations.
The Junior Lifeguard Program is an eight-week summer program that
teaches children ages 9 to 17 about the ocean environment.
The changing of facilities, part of phase two of the city’s beach
improvement project, is what prompted the organization to launch the
fund drive.
A temporary boardwalk south of the pier snakes around the
rudiments of rescue plaza, which will be comprised of two new
buildings, at 1st Street and Pacific Coast Highway. The educational
building will be the junior guards’ summer headquarters and will be
used to educate the community throughout the year on first aid, ocean
safety and oceanography. It is set to be completed by June 2004.
“We want to bring back programs such as the Catalina trip,” said
Dieterman, where students focus on marine biology and the ecology of
the island and California.
The junior lifeguard exchange trip occurs every two years.
Huntington Beach sends 15 to 25 guards overseas to experience
lifesaving in different countries, and a similar number of young
guards come from other countries as well. Guards have traveled and
competed in locals such as Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
The city is paying for the construction of the buildings, but the
onus to raise money for new fins, bodyboards, rescue paddleboards,
lockers, computers, desks, conference tables and other necessities is
left to generous donors.
The Friends of the Junior Lifeguards are relying on four major
drives to obtain the necessary cash: an insert requesting donations
accompanies resident’s water bills, the annual pancake breakfast,
corporate contributions and a dinner with a silent auction.
The program is about the size of a public middle school, and this
coastal classroom is a combination of physical conditioning, ocean
safety and recreation. More than 1,000 junior guards hit the beach
last summer, and no fewer are expected this year, when home base will
be portable trailers on the hot sand.
“As teachers, we teach our communities children about the ocean
and its environment,” said David Simcox, junior lifeguard
coordinator. “And as lifeguards we teach the children how to protect
themselves, their family and friends form the dangers of the ocean.”
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