ADELANTO: (June 19, 2014)- A generous grant of $15,000 from Kaiser Permanente was accepted Tuesday night by the Adelanto Elementary School District Board of Trustees.
According to officials, the grant will serve to fund AESD’s swimming pool and swimming safety programs. “We are very thankful for this grant from Kaiser Permanente and our focus for this grant is for a healthier Adelanto,” said Superintendent Dr. Edwin Gomez. “With the opening of our swimming pool, we will be able to offer recreational swim, swimming lessons and hopefully, water aerobics,” Gomez added.
The generous grant will also support Lifeguards and Aquatic Aides. The community pool will be opened 50 days in the summer (June-August) intending to serve low-income people from the Adelanto, Victorville, Phelan, Baldy Mesa, and unincorporated areas of the surrounding Mojave Desert.
The three primary objectives of the AESD Community Pool are to provide:
1. Community Swim: The pool will provide regular and frequent access to children and adults to enjoy physical activity and social interaction within a safe and healthy environment during the summer months.
2. Life Saving Courses: The pool will provide swimming lessons to all ages and abilities to teach children and adults to swim. This will save lives, provide self-confidence, and encourage regular physical activity.
3. Water Aerobics Courses: These classes will provide physical activity to those who may not be able to engage in higher impact sports. The courses will reduce obesity and other health conditions in adult populations and will provide enjoyable social engagement.
“I have managed our community swim program for many years. Unfortunately, due to economic reasons, we have had to close our pool on more than one occasion, including last year. Our community swim program is funded usually by donations and through AESD,” said Donna Landry, AESD Director of Risk Management and Benefits. “Many of our children and parents in Adelanto do not have transportation therefore, this is a neighborhood pool that will be embraced by our community thanks to Kaiser Permanente.”
About Kaiser Permanente Community Benefit Program
Kaiser Permanente’s Community Benefit program is committed to improving the health of the communities we serve and reducing health disparities through community partnerships with the safety net of community clinics, public health departments, public hospitals, and other agencies. Community Benefit also helps increase access to quality health care and coverage, regardless of income, through our charity care and charitable coverage programs; supports community groups to inspire people to make positive changes for health through our Healthy Eating Active Living programs and Community Health Initiatives; and shares our medical knowledge, expertise, and research to help Southern California people live healthier lives.
For more info, visit https://share.kaiserpermanente.org/article/southern-california-overview/
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