ISLA and Local Girl Scout host 5k Fundraiser

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - March 26, 2014 - PRLog -- ISLA recently worked alongside local Huntington Beach junior lifeguard and Girl Scout, Tatum Guerrero, to create and host the 2014 Drowning Prevention 5k. The inaugural race served as a fundraiser for ISLA to raise funds and awareness for drowning prevention as well as Guerrero’s Girl Scout Gold Award Service Project.

The 2014 Drowning Prevention 5k, which was held on March 1, 2014, proved to be successful with over 130 participants who braved the rainstorm in support of this global cause. "We had to make a few last second adjustments, but it wouldn't have been a great drowning prevention event without the rain!”, said ISLA Co-Founder/Chairman/President, Henry Ryes. The event also had support from Huntington Beach Surf Lifesaving Association, Hoag Hospital’s community benefit organization, Project Wipeout, Huntington Beach Hospital, Huntington Beach Reality, Xyience Energy Drinks, Dukes and Sandy’s Restaurants, Yoga Works, Quiksilver, Chick-fil-a, Core Power Yoga, Wahoo’s Fish Tacos, and several Huntington Beach High School teams.

Drowning is the #1 cause of preventable death, and according to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are an estimated 388,000 annual drowning deaths worldwide. ISLA plans to host The Drowning Prevention 5k annually to raise funds and awareness for aquatic safety, purchase rescue equipment for areas in need, celebrate the ocean and environment, and honor those we have lost.

Founded in 2008, ISLA exists to advance professional lifesaving development to areas in need around the globe. Out of a deep passion for open water and a strong desire to prevent drownings, ISLA aids people in championing the aquatic safety situation in their own coastal communities through lifeguard training programs, lifeguard exchanges, equipment donations, purchasing connections, and utilizing the latest technology to sustain a global network of lifeguards that share information, techniques, stories, and culture. ISLA’s mission is to see friends and partners around the globe have the necessary tools to keep their water safe.