Miami HEAT standout forward Caron Butler and Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas joined the American Red Cross of Greater Miami & The Keys on June 13 in launching “Swim for Life,” a water safety initiative that will educate parents and children about drowning prevention and how to respond to emergencies in, on and around the water. As part of the launch at Hadley Pool in Miami, Butler assisted a group of children in the pool with their first swimming lessons. The children were the first group to receive free swimming lessons through the “Swim for Life” program, in which the American Red Cross of Greater Miami & The Keys will be providing 1,000 Miami-Dade children (14 years of age and younger) free swimming lessons with a special voucher program. The vouchers are available on a first-come, first-serve basis by calling 305-644-1200, ext. 182.

June 13th Photogallery

In support of the American Red Cross of Greater Miami & The Keys’ “Swim for Life” initiative and to provide an additional incentive for children to complete their lessons, the HEAT’s own “Learn to Swim” program is donating more than 10,000 HEAT single-game ticket vouchers to area swimming facilities to present to children graduating from a “Learn to Swim” course in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The vouchers will provide one free admittance to a HEAT home game during the 2003-04 season with the purchase of a regular priced ticket.

The HEAT’s “Learn to Swim” initiative stresses the importance of the need for parents and children to learn how to swim and to be cautious in the water through community appearances and on www.HEAT.com with water safety tips and information on area pools teaching swimming lessons. HEAT center Brian Grant joined first-time swimmers in the pool at “April Pools Day” in Miami Springs when the HEAT and the American Red Cross of Greater Miami & The Keys launched the summer-long water safety campaign. Last month, HEAT center Vladimir Stepania, a former top-ranked junior swimmer in his native Republic of Georgia, joined Broward County Fire Rescue and Swim Central to present water safety demonstrations for 700 children in Fort Lauderdale.