Donations Pour in to Teach Urban Kids Swimming

Joyce Delifus, President and Founder of the Shawn D. Delifus Foundation, recently received a surprise phone call from local WCGL radio station show “Jax. Engage with Angela Spears.  During the conversation, Spears surprised the foundation with a presentation in the amount of $2,200, made by Jakimva Martin, regional director of the Southeastern Region of Sigma Gamma Pho Sorority, Inc.

This donation was part of the 80th Southeastern Regional Conference.  Ms. Delifus was in shock and emotionally overjoyed.  “Wow, this was a surprise.  Even during Covid-19 people are still in the giving mode.  We are more than thankful for the donation,” said Delifus.

The donation will provide free swimming lessons for babies, children, and adults and support the foundations new Life Guard Certification program for teens, which begins August 15th, 2020 at the Johnson Family YMCA.  In June 2020, the foundation invested $4,050 in training 75 Teens to learn how to Swim and to attend the August classes.  Ms. Delifus wants to remind the community that the donations will, “save the lives of so many in our community”.

Saving up her emotions, Delifus was more than ecstatic when she received another donation from 17-Year-old David Gapinski, a Loggerhead Aquatics Senior National team member

who collected caps and goggles for the Shawn D Delifus Foundation.  Mr. Gapinski presented 120 swimming caps and goggles to the President Joyce Delifus and Vice President Daniel Delifus, at his home recently while practicing social distancing.  This is Gapinski’s second year providing swimwear to the foundation.

The swimwear was donated in honor of the foundations namesake and his former coach, the late Shawn D. Delifus.  Created in memory of Shawn D. Delifus, a Jacksonville native and graduate of William M. Raines High School, UNF graduate and an ASCA Level 4 certified elite swimming coach, the foundation is dedicated to serving the residents of the community by helping children to learn a lifesaving skill through “education, nutrition and the sport of swimming while elevating children and families”.  Shown are the donators Jakimva Martin, regional director of the Southeastern Region of Sigma Gamma Pho Sorority, Inc. and 17-Year-old David Gapinski, a Loggerhead Aquatics Senior National team member.