Press Releases: Southern California
June 24, 2011
New Lifeguard Graduates Teach 6,000 L.A. Kids and Adults to Swim
Kaiser Permanente’s Operation Splash Commitment Grows To Nearly $3 Million
LOS ANGELES — For the sixth straight year, Kaiser Permanente and the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks are teaming up to kick-off Operation Splash, offering city residents access to free swimming lessons for the entire family at select pools. Through this program, tens of thousands of children and teens have learned to swim and have also taught swim safety to their friends and family. Many have continued on as junior lifeguards and are graduating to lifeguard jobs this summer.
“Operation Splash kicks off summer for children and families across Los Angeles by providing swimming lessons and a safe, healthy and fun way to beat the summer heat,” said Antonio Villaraigosa, mayor of Los Angeles. “Kaiser Permanente is once again promoting healthy lifestyles for all our residents by partnering with the city to make each of our pools a summertime oasis.”
Operation Splash is a free summer program that teaches children and adults in low-income areas to swim, promotes physical activity to combat obesity, and provides job training.
Detail of ribbon cutting at Downey Pool in Lincoln Heights, Calif.
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2011 Junior Lifeguard Graduates, from left to right: Shaquille Arellano, Nicole Vizcaino, Mateo Yateem, Laura Yateem, Elizabeth Hernandez, and Leslie Cardenas.
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As a result of Operation Splash, teenagers such as Leslie Cardenas strengthen their swimming skills while participating in the junior lifeguard program. Now 18-year-old Cardenas will spend her summer working fulltime as a lifeguard for the Department of Recreation and Parks. “I want to give back everything that was given to me, years of coaching, encouragement and support. I want to be a role model and hopefully continue the circle of inspiration so kids can make positive choices,” said Cardenas, who is among the 28 new lifeguard graduates. Cardenas is also a synchronized swimmer and plays water polo.
“Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping families thrive by encouraging them to be active and adopt healthy lifestyles,” said Diana Bontá, RN, DrPH, vice president of public affairs for Kaiser Permanente Southern California Region. “This summer, we are also supporting the Rethink Your Drink awareness campaign to encourage pool patrons and park staff to choose healthy alternatives over beverages loaded with sugar,” added Bontá. Lifeguards will be swapping soda bottles for water bottles and Rethink Your Drink banners will be displayed at the 48 Operation Splash participating pools .
Kaiser Permanente is providing a $265,000 grant to the Department of Recreation and Parks Aquatics Division that will underwrite swim lessons for 6,000 low-income children, teens and adults at 35 participating pools in Los Angeles; help fund junior lifeguard training for 780 low-income teens at 48 city pools; and extend the summer pool season for a week, through Labor Day, at seven city pools, serving an estimated 10,000 pool patrons.
“I am very pleased that even in this difficult financial time, through the efforts of the mayor, the City Council, and our partners like Kaiser Permanente and the LA84 Foundation, we will be able to offer a full summer swim season at select pools,” said Jon Kirk Mukri, general manager of the Los Angeles City Recreation and Parks Department.
Operation Splash is part of Kaiser Permanente’s Healthy Eating, Active Living efforts to reduce obesity in the community by increasing opportunities for safe physical activity and access to healthy and affordable foods. Kaiser Permanente has expanded Operation Splash outside the city of Los Angeles for the fourth year. Additional grants to Chula Vista, Coachella Valley, Kern County, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura have raised Kaiser Permanente’s financial commitment to nearly $3 million.
To find out about participating pools in the Los Angeles area, visit the Los Angeles City Recreation and Parks website, or call 323-906-7953. Pools will open citywide on Saturday, June 25, with on-site registration.
About the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks Aquatics Division
The City of Los Angeles, Recreation and Parks Department, Aquatics Division offers families and community members many healthy, affordable and safe aquatic activities at their public pools, lakes, and beaches. The Aquatics Division operates 59 swimming pools, 10 lakes, and a beach. In addition, the city operates 11 open water facilities. For more information please visit www.laparks.org.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high quality, affordable health care services to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 3.4 million members in Southern California. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter
