It’s been almost a month since a severe drowning tragedy in Louisiana. On August 3rd, 7 teens playing in the water at a Shreveport, LA park fell into a sinkhole. Each non-swimming teen tried to save another, all drowned but 1. Even more horrific: the children who drowned were siblings from 2 different families. And the most horrific? Their parents watched helpless, as the children screamed, “help me!”–because none of the adults could swim, either.

I don’t know what else it will take to get people in the water to learn how to save themselves; others! This makes me think of Wanda Butts. That poor woman lost her son, and then had the strength to start a foundation in his name, The Josh Project, so nobody else would have to lose their child to drowning. But children are drowning daily. What will it take to eradicate this plague? There is no small pox in America any more. This is doable. But we have to make it a priority. We have to act.

My daughter, a lifeguard, is competing in the Miss Michigan USA pageant next weekend. Her charity is the Make a Splash Foundation. She too was heartbroken when she heard this story. If she could learn to swim, with her issues about getting her face wet, extreme fear of the water, and lack of buoyancy, anyone can!

While I’m talking, I still have 2 non-swimming children. I took them down to the pool for lessons as soon as I could after hearing this story. Will you join me?

Did you hear the one about the man that ran out of the courtroom trying to escape judgment? He jumped into a river and drowned.

That really happened a month ago in Florida.

The moral of the story? Either, you can’t run away from the long arm of the law, or. . . you should really learn how to swim.

prolly both

Here are the Olympic swim trial dates that I copied from their website.   Let’s watch and count all the black specks!

port                                                              Airdate                   Time                       Network

U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Swimming              Sunday, June 29     8:00-9:00 pm ET          NBC

U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Swimming              Monday, June 30     8:00-9:00 pm ET          USA

U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Swimming              Tuesday, July 1       8:00-9:00 pm ET          USA

U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Swimming              Wednesday, July 2  8:00-9:00 pm ET          USA

U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Swimming              Thursday, July 3      8:00-9:00 pm ET          USA

U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Swimming              Friday, July 4            8:00-9:00 pm ET        NBC

U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Swimming              Saturday, July 5        8:00 -9:00 pm ET       NBC

U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Swimming              Sunday, July 6         8:00 -9:00 pm ET        NBC