Sal Diesi was a big presence in the swimming community. He spent the majority of his time around a pool–his home away from home.
"He was a swimming dad, a swimmer himself, and a huge part of swimming in the Lafayette and Acadiana area," Sarah Landreneau with City of Lafayette Aquatics, said.
Diesi passed away last November, and while gone too soon, he left a lasting impression on those around him.
"He was a giving man," Landreneau said.
Starting this summer, City of Lafayette Aquatics and Lafayette General will give away 150 free swim lessons to underprivileged children in Lafayette Parish.
"The way it’s going to work is that, on Water Safety Day, we’ll be kicking off the program," Landreneau said. "Through Lafayette Parish schools kids will be invited to join the program if they have the free lunch card through Lafayette schools. They will have to prove that to be able to sign up for the program. It’ll be the first 150 kids to sign up will be eligible for the program."
This program will start, what they hope, many more "Sal’s Summer of Swim."
"I think, the program and being able to touch that many kids and do something of this magnitude for our community would be a huge deal to him," Landreneau said.
Water Safety Day will take place on Sunday, May 6th at the Robicheaux Center on Eraste Landry.
The event starts at 1pm and is free to the public.
If you want to donate to "Sal’s Summer of Swim" you can click on https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E193415&id=1.
You can also make a donation to:
Lafayette General Foundation
Memo: Sal’s Summer of Swim
Mail those checks to:
920 West Pinhook Road
Lafayette, LA 70503
