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Industry leaders stepped up with donations exceeding $41,000.

In just a few months since the Step Into Swim^™ Campaign was launched, a group of visionary pool, spa, and aquatic leaders have stepped forward to donate more than $41,000, reports Thomas M. Lachocki, Ph.D., CEO of National Swimming Pool Foundation. “A huge thank you to our friends who took the first step to reinforce how important it is to create more swimming, more exercising, and a spectrum of fun activities!” says Dr. Lachocki. 

“POOLCORP is proud to support the ‘Step into Swim’ campaign to help teach people to become swimmers and promote swimming for fun and fitness,” affirms Manny Perez de la Mesa, President and C.E.O., POOLCORP. Glen Heedy, Executive Vice President of AllChem Performance Products, agrees, saying, “When we reviewed the Step Into Swim information, AllChem saw it as a real grassroots mechanism to support swimming and our industry in a very meaningful way. Headquartered in Florida, we too often see tragic, senseless drowning accidents involving children and adults that with some very basic training would never have happened. Add to that the proven health benefits provided by swimming, contributing to this campaign was simply the right thing to do for AllChem and, I would think, the rest of our fellow manufacturers.”

The White Paper clarifies the logic that creating more swimmers solves several problems,” asserts Dr. Lachocki. “The leaders who opened their hearts and wallets affirm that one sure way to grow, improve people’s health and prevent drowning rests on the shoulders of swim schools.”

“All donations, regardless of size, will help to further this programming, creating more and more swimmers. Please share your resources with the Step Into Swim Campaign. We can do great things together,” urges John Puetz, Chairman of the National Swimming Pool Foundation Board of Directors. The Foundation will give up to $25,000 in matching contributions for donations received by September 30, 2012. Those who donate $1,000 or more will be featured on the Step Into Swim^™ website, www.StepIntoSwim.org and invited to the Step Into Swim Congress on October 10, in Norfolk, Virginia.

Donate what is reasonable today at www.StepIntoSwim.org/donate.asp or by mailing a check to 4775 Granby Circle, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80919, or by calling 719-540-9119. Industry members, family and colleagues are asked to also LIKE the Facebook page at https://www.Facebook.com/StepIntoSwimCampaign and share the link with friends.

The Step Into Swim Campaign will feature several leading “learn-to-swim” organizations at the                     Step Into Swim Congress on October 10, just prior to the 9^th annual World Aquatic Health^™ Conference in Norfolk, Virginia. Those organizations will present proposals to expand their ability to teach more people to swim. Individuals and organizations who wish to be a bigger part of the campaign are encouraged to register for the Congress. Visit www.StepIntoSwim.org. The goal of Step Into Swim Campaign is to create one million more swimmers within the next 10 years.

About NSPF^®

The National Swimming Pool Foundation^® is a non-profit organization established in 1965, dedicated to improving public health worldwide and is the leading educator of aquatic facility operators and pool and spa professionals, and the chief philanthropic research sponsor in the aquatics field. The foundation has donated over $4 million since 2003 to fund grants to prevent illness, injury, and drowning, and to demonstrate the health benefits of aquatic activity. Visit www.nspf.org