Spring News - Making Ripples

Late April | 2022

Slide with Destination Showcase Partners.jpg

What does tourism and a new public aquatic facility have in common?

The short answer is that they both make a city thrive. The long answer is in our Ripple Effects article that we wrote last month for Visit Bellevue's annual meeting where we were one of their Destination Showcase Partners. More details on that experience below.

Boy, do we have a lot to share! We invite you to scroll down to see what we’ve been up to and learn about how your support has helped us take our next steps.

On March 28th, the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Bellevue and SPLASHForward was authorized by City Council formalizing our role as the private fundraising partner for a new game-changing Bellevue Aquatic Center. Game on!

GiveBIG is next week on May 3^rd and 4^th as we roll into Water Safety month! We're excited to share a few gifts with you during our campaign, so please keep us on your radar as you support local nonprofits doing great things in our community.

With optimism and gratitude,

Check out our article called Ripple Effects that showcases why an aquatic and wellness center is good for the local economy. The Bellevue Chamber of Commerce recently picked up the article and shared it in their weekly ‘5 Things You Need to Know This Week’ newsletter blast!

Building Awareness

Visit Bellevue invited us to their annual meeting where we rolled out our fresh new banners and booth setup to network with the local hotel and hospitality sector and economic development community. A big thank you to Ascend Hospitality Group for generously donating a gift certificate to our event giveaway. We also gave away free swim lessons for a youth or adult!

Talking with Port of Seattle and Lk WA Masters Small.jpg

SPLASHForward Board and Stu at Visit Bellevue 2022.jpg

Bellevue's momentum is growing as it implements its Tourism Destination and Economic Development Plans. With Bellevue's economy on pace to recover to pre-pandemic levels by summer, the future looks bright!

Bellevue City Council Authorizes MOU with SPLASHForward

Thank you Bellevue City Council members for your continued support!

Private Fundraising Partner

Since January, we have worked closely with City Parks staff to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between SPLASHForward and the City of Bellevue outlining our commitment as the private fundraising and development partner for a game-changing new Bellevue Aquatic Center.

On March 28th, we gave oral communications to City Council prior to their authorization. Huge thank you to our high school student ambassador Gauri Gupta and our advisor Bob Peters for making oral communications on our behalf. Listen in to their oral communications at time stamp 14:44min.

Master Plan Update Process to Begin THIS SUMMER

Bellevue Airfield Park Potential Site.jpg

City Led Community Outreach

The City of Bellevue’s Master Plan Update for Bellevue Airfield Park is will begin this summer with community outreach and meetings to explore the impact of an indoor aquatic center at the site. In 2012, the park was master planned but remained undeveloped due to a lack of funding.

The 27.5 acre site has a multitude of indoor and outdoor usage scenarios for all ages. The park is located in Bellevue's most diverse neighborhoods accessible by foot, bike, bus, light rail, and car.

Building community awareness ahead of the summer is our focus. We invite you to tune in!

High School Lifeguard Training Program

Exceeding Expectations

Year two of our program has seen over 35 high school students interested in becoming a lifeguard.

Last month at both an in-person and virtual workshop for interested students we held panel discussions with local aquatics managers and high school lifeguards. They shared job expectations and revealed why becoming a lifeguard gives you job skills you can take anywhere on your career path.

We have supported 26 students to date and 21 students will go through training next month with more on our waitlist!

Almost every pool is desperate for lifeguards. Both public and private. The hiring gap that the pandemic created (layoff of staff, atrophy of skills, burnout of staff) is making it a tall order to fill the need.

We are looking for additional program sponsors, let us know if you or your business are interested info@splashforward.org.

SF HS Lifeguards at Bellevue Aquatic Center April 2022.jpg

Bellevue Chamber Corporate Citizenship Luncheon

5min to Share Our Story

At the April 21st Bellevue Chamber of Commerce Corporate Citizenship Luncheon, we were generously given the mic for 5min to share our story as the featured nonprofit 'Minute of Need'. It was a thrill to then introduce the luncheon's panel moderator Jennifer Fischer the Executive Director of Bellevue LifeSpring! Panelists included Mary's Place, John Howie Restaurant Group, and Bank of America.

Thank you Bellevue Chamber of Commerce for this opportunity!

Interview with Mary Wayte Bradburne

Mary Wayte Bradburne SF Interview Screenshot 2.jpg

A local legend & role model

Last month, for Women's History Month, we had a conversation with local swimming role model & 2x Olympic Gold medalist Mary Wayte Bradburne.

Yes, that Mary Wayte!! The one who has a Forward Thrust era pool named after her on Mercer Island where every Bellevue School District Swim & Dive meet is held. If you have been there, you probably have wondered who Mary Wayte was and likely assumed she was no longer living. Mary is very much alive and we were lucky to be able to spend some time talking with her to learn her water story, her favorite Olympic moment, and advice to parents and children.

Enjoy our podcast interview with Mary Wayte Bradburne!

Know someone selling a home?

Coldwell Banker Bain Community Partnership

Each time a SPLASHForward supporter, friend or relative buys or sells a home with real estate broker, Yvette Ross, she and Coldwell Banker Bain will donate an amount equal to 10 percent of her commission to SPLASHForward.

Coldwell Banker Bain established its Community Partnership program as a way for the company and its agents to give back to the organizations that are committed to the welfare of our communities. Since the program was founded, Coldwell Banker Bain agents have donated more than $1.48 million to organizations in the Puget Sound area.

Thank you for this opportunity Yvette!

GiveBIG - STAY TUNED!

May 3rd & 4th

We have some exciting moments to share with you next week during our GiveBIG campaign!

We hope you will join and support us!

A tribute to a local legend - Bob Regan (1928 - 2022)

Bob Regan was inducted into the WIAA Hall of Fame in 2010 and the PNW Swimming Hall of Fame.

The voice of PNW Swimming

We proudly honor the life of Bob Regan (1928-2022) and the enormous impact he had on our local swimming community. Bob served as an honorary Board member to SPLASHForward and was keenly interested in our efforts to realize a new public aquatic facility. When we open the doors to a new public aquatic facility, we hope that Bob will know he was a part of it and that we can honor his legacy appropriately.

We have created a tribute to Bob on our website where you can learn about his tremendous impact.