Toyota of Burien Sponsors Evergreen Community Aquatic Center Benefit Auction

The Seattle area has an abundance of natural resources: mountains, forests and water. Lots of water. However, in an area that is literally surrounded by water (and frequently has it coming from the sky) there are many Western Washington residents who do not have the life-saving skill of knowing how to swim. The Evergreen Community Aquatic Center is trying to change that.

Toyota of Burien is teaming up with the Evergreen Community Aquatic Center, located in White Center, to sponsor their first annual benefit auction on Oct. 13.

“We are surrounded by water,” Noelle Kawaguchi, ECAC Board President, said. “The death rate from drowning is nearly twice the national average in low income areas.”

The ECAC re-opened two years ago after a group of parents and community leaders saw the value in being able to offer a place of wholesome recreation and low-cost/free swimming lessons to the White Center community. Since opening two years ago, the ECAC has taught hundreds of children how to swim, is the home of several area swim teams, and is utilized by many other area non-profit groups, including Neighborhood House, Union Gospel Mission, and New Futures.

Because the ECAC is a non-profit and the facility is aging (originally built in 1971), support from the community is needed to cover the costs of keeping it open. The ECAC has never turned anyone away from a swim lesson and hope to never have to, so they are having their first annual benefit auction on Oct. 13. According to a letter sent to local businesses, the ECAC is important to the White Center
community because:

• It is a positive youth and family activity center.

• It provides White Center with a healthy and positive business

• They work to remove cultural barriers and the fear of the water that is present in many of our area’s immigrant groups.

• The death rate from drowning is twice the national average in low-income areas.

• Swimming creates lifelong fitness and activity habits and impacts the national epidemic of obesity.

“We offer low income lessons also so there are lessons available for $40 for a sessions of 8 lessons,” said Kawaguchi. “We did one session last year titled pay what you can and some people took lessons for free, or $10 or whatever they could afford.”

All of this is possible through the generous donations and involvement of the community, including
Toyota of Burien who is a presenting donor of the benefit auction.

“This is the first time for this event so this will help cover some of our costs which is great,” said
Kawaguchi. “This is the first time we have partnered with the dealership but we would love to do more in the future.”

Toyota of Burien is proud to sponsor an event for a great organization that has a direct impact on the White Center community and helps saves lives.

“We are happy to help the ECAC as a sponsor,” said Nathan Ayers of Toyota of Burien. “They save lives by teaching children how to swim who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to learn. And the ECAC is utilized by so many organizations like swim teams and other non-profits that, really, it is invaluable to the community. We want to encourage other area businesses to get involved either by donating a product or service to the benefit auction or donating financially right to the ECAC!”

The First Annual Charity Auction Benefitting Evergreen Community Aquatic Center is 7pm-12pm on Saturday, Oct. 13 at the Normandy Park Community Club (1500 SW Shorebrook Drive, Normandy Park). Tickets to the silent auction and Casino Night are $10 per person, which includes one drink ticket. For more information about the ECAC and the benefit auction, call 206.588.2297 or go to evergreenpool.org or email: ecacauction@comcast.net.