Dear Friends and Family –

As many of you know Triathlons have been a big part of my life. Recently I have switched my focus to long distance swimming as part of my goal to give back to the community in which I live, breath and work. When my husband and I last year made a conscious decision that we wanted giving to be a bigger part of our life mission and goals, Colin’s Hope spoke to me.

Colin’s Hope was formed in 2008 after four-year-old Colin Holst tragically drowned in a public pool, with lifeguards on duty and family members present. Their mission is to raise water safety awareness to prevent children from drowning. Drowning is the #1 cause of accidental death for children under 5 and a leading cause for ages 1-14. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for each fatal drowning incident, five more children receive emergency care for submersion injuries. So far this year alone, Texas has lost 66 children to fatal preventable drownings and is leading in the US regarding the number of fatalities related to water drownings. While no one is drown proof, drowning IS preventable.

On August 16^th I will be swimming 6.2 miles in honor of three individuals (2 children & 1 adult) who lost their life to a drowning accident and in honor of one teenager whose life was forever changed by a water accident. This event is also a fundraiser.

Please join in my fundraiser effort by helping me raise $2,000 by donating to my Colin's Hope fundraising page. Colin's Hope will use the funds raised to help educate parents/caregivers and children to be safer around the water all year round through proven programs. They distribute 75,000 water safety education cards each year, sponsor swim lessons and water safety education lessons, stock life jacket loaner stations and serve in leadership positions locally, state and nationwide. The work that Colin's Hope does, ABSOLUTELY helps save lives, changes behaviors to be safer around water and helps prevent drownings.

Any amount you feel you can donate will be most appreciated not only by me but also by those who are have been affected by a water accident. Please help me help this wonderful organization continue to do what they do best, raise water safety awareness.

For more information on Colin's Hope, http://www.colinshope.org/