SurfAid Updates

American Swimming Stars Participate in Swim4Humanity

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 3 February, 2010 : - -  Swim4Humanity 2010 fundraising event will have top American swimmers Jessica Hardy, Fran Crippen and Caroline Burckle participating to support SurfAid International, a non-profit humanitarian organization dedicated to improving the health, wellbeing and self-reliance of people living in isolated island regions of Western Sumatra. 

“It means a lot to be a part of an organization and an event that is really making a difference in the lives of people, especially children, who are often overlooked even though they are in one of the most beautiful surfing and swimming destinations in the world,” says world record holder Jessica Hardy.

The annual Swim4Humanity fundraising event will take place in eight cities in California (San Diego, Malibu, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and San Francisco), Florida, New York, and New Jersey. Participants ask friends and family to sponsor them in a 30-minute lap swim, and may also choose to participate in a competitive freestyle lap swim and fun relay race.

Participants win prizes for levels of money raised as well as for the fun relay and competitive swim races. SurfAid will give an Indonesian surf trip thanks to World Surfaris and Joyo’s Surf Camp (worth $5,000) to the person who raises the most money! Swim4Humanity 2010 is now open for individual and team registrations.

“SurfAid International shares my passion for the ocean and giving back. I look forward to participating in Swim4Humanity 2010 and working with SurfAid on other fundraising initiatives through swimming such as swim clinics and possible ocean swim events,” says top American open water swimmer Fran Crippen.

“I encourage people to sign up for Swim4Humanity and help fundraise with us! Together we can make the world a better place by stopping the needless suffering of children and families in these isolated communities,” says Olympic bronze medalist Caroline Burckle, “and we get to help with this great work through participating in the sports we love….swimming and surfing.”

“This event was a great success last year raising over $60,000 and we hope to raise over $100,000 this year to support our health and nutrition, water and sanitation, and emergency preparedness programs in Indonesia,” says SurfAid International, USA director Javier Guerrero.

About SurfAid International - Celebrating Our 10th Anniversary in 2010
In 1999, physician and surfer Dr Dave Jenkins went on a surf charter to the Mentawai Islands, off Sumatra, Indonesia. The surf proved to be everything he had hoped for but he also found the Mentawai people suffering and dying from preventable diseases. Dave found that he was unable to just walk away. It was a defining life moment. He sought support from like-minded individuals and went on to establish SurfAid International in 2000.

SurfAid’s mission is to improve the health, wellbeing and self-reliance of people living in the Mentawai and Nias islands, where it runs water and sanitation, disaster preparedness, and health programs. With the support of the New Zealand and Australian Governments, the global surfing and wider community, and most importantly the Mentawai and Nias people of the affected areas themselves, SurfAid has come to exemplify the healing power of cross-cultural partnerships.

www.surfaidinternational.org
www.surfaidinternational.org/swim4humanity2010

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Kirk Wilcox

Surfaid - Surfersvillage