It’s been a good WaterStrong summer
With an adventuresome spirit and infectious love for the water, Team Waterstrong clicked away a few happy milestones.
In July, our team led concurrent bilingual bicultural Eco-Swim clinics at Oxbow Park and Gresham Pool with Multnomah Education Service District Migrant Education Program (MESD MEP). A big hurrah to Tom, Emily, Dan, Alisa, Karis, Stuart, Tim, Harmony, Naomi, Shelby, Juan, Sheila, Nana, Kristen (MESD MEP) and Angela (Gresham Pool) for making our biggest event ever a big success.
Also in July, WaterStrong hosted our first Sponsor Tent at the 2023 Portland Bridge Swim, our first Outreach Tents at Broughton Beach, and joined Libra Ford of Women’s Foundation of Oregon for an interview with KATU2 PNW AM. That’s a lot of face time.
In August, Team WaterStrong led another bilingual bicultural Eco-Swim summer camp at beautiful Hagg Lake in partnership with Portland Audubon, Bienestar and Washington County Parks, plus Gaston Fire Department, Clean Water Services and Metro. Big props go to Tim, John, Tom, Emily, Shari, Randy, Daniela, Danitza, Kira, Juan, Naomi, Gaby, Stuart, Ethel (Portland Audubon), Marithza & Esteffany (Bienestar), Lorne (Gaston FD), and Elizabeth (WashCo Parks) for a safe, fun and learning-filled few days at Hagg Lake.
Also in August, WaterStrong continued our Broughton Beach Outreach Tents and on 8/26 joined Diversify Portland to help launch a Hip Hop Week Island Party at Broughton Beach by distributing lifejackets and safety whistles to partygoers. Nana, Harmony, Caryl, Jenny, Danette, Daniela, Jasiel, and Stuart carried the day! None of this would have been possible without permits and lifejackets from Metro. Thank you Matan, Kole and Jasiel!
And on Labor Day, the lovely Ballenas swimmers raised $195 for WaterStrong through their dawn-to-dusk Labor Day swim relay at Broughton Beach. Thank you Jennifer, Elizabeth, Christina, Kirsten, Caryl, Sheila, and Ballena beauties!!
And in org dev news, we welcomed our first WaterStrong Board Members Brianna Morrison and Tim Cespedes, Communications Manager Stuart Steidle, Water Stewardship Curriculum Development Team Emily Roth, Stuart Steidle and Niomi Markel, and Water Safety Training Team Tim Cespedes, John Caraballo, and Cassy Peterson.
The Numbers: Summer 2023
Events WaterStrong participated in: 10
Lifejackets & safety whistles distributed: 340
Families served: 184
WaterStrong volunteers engaged: 52
Volunteer hours logged: 746
Partner organizations engaged: 10
