Swimming From Catalina To End Polio
Swimming From Catalina To End Polio
Courtesy of Melissa Blaustein, Catalina Channel, California.
Melissa Blaustein is the founder of Allied for Startups that represents start-ups in policy and government. She also serves as the Director of International Advocacy at the Fuel Freedom Foundation where she is the Chairperson on Global Energy and Social Development in Africa.
She is a busy person on dryland for sure.
But she is also building up her ocean swimming and marathon swimming resume while doing some good. “This Thursday just before midnight, I will jump off of a boat and into darkness at Catalina Island. From there, I will attempt to make the roughly 32.3 km swim back to shore, completing the third and final swim in my Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. I’ll be swimming in support of the Rotary International Foundation’s Polio Plus program to end polio all around the world.
A forgotten disease can teach a very valuable lesson. It may have been decades since we’ve seen a case of polio in the US, but around the world this horrible illness still exists and we are just two countries away from eradicating it all together. As a controversial debate on vaccines rages on, polio can be a reminder that together we can stop a disease dead in its tracks by providing necessary preventative care.”
To support her effort, visit sausalitorotaryfoundation.org. She explains, “All donations are matched 3 to 2 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, so any amount goes a long way.”
Blaustein will speak about her experiences in the open water at the 2019 WOWSA Ocean Fest in Redondo Beach, California on October 5th.
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Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor – Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame’s Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame’s Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming’s Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University’s John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff.