Michael Phelps has made history Two women named Simone made their marks, and there was a meteor shower to boot.
For the past two days, we’ve gone outside at 4 a.m. to see what we could see in the night sky. On Thursday morning it was nothing, although my husband insists he did see one shooting star. When my internal alarm clock woke me ten minutes before the noisy one, I almost went back to sleep. I am glad I didn’t. This time sat on our neighbors back porch (they’re not home) which has a more unobstructed view of the sky. There were enough shooting stars to make it worthwhile.
Those who are the watching the Olympics or following along on social media have their eyes on some shooting stars, too. Michael Phelps is amazing and has the medals to prove it, making him the most decorated athlete in Olympic history. “What does that have to do with this blog?” you ask. Well, he was raised by a sorority woman. Debbie Phelps is a Phi Mu from Fairmont State.
The Fall 2009 Aglaia cover, courtesy of Phi Mu.
And how about those two Olympians named Simone?
Cele Hoffman Eifert (a Gamma Phi Beta Facebook friend)
So how many girl babies are gonna be named SIMONE this year after Olympic Gold medalists Simone Biles and Simone Manuel???
Well, I used that name many moons ago for our oldest child. Simone won the Simone vs. Brooke daughter naming competition in a past Olympic year. This is from her twitter feed.
Things have been going super well for Olympians named Simone!
Simone Manuel became the first African American swimmer to win a gold. There is a sorority woman, Alia Atkinson, a Sigma Gamma Rho, who is swimming for Jamaica. She and a past Olympian, Maritza Correia McClendon, are helping their sorority with its Swim 1922 partnership with USA Swimming.
We are focused on water safety. Read the latest article promoting our partnership with USA Swimming. Sigma Gamma Rho and Swim 1922 are making a splash across the country! #SGRho #SigmaGammaRho#Swim1922
Through its Swim 1922 program, Sigma Gamma Rho and USA Swimming have teamed up to provide swimming and water safety classes to children from minority groups. The rate of drowing among black children aged 5 to 19 is more than five times greater than the rate for white children.
Swim 1922 reminded me of a program that is taking place in Carbondale, Illinois, where I live. An outdoor community pool opened this year, after decades, more likely half a century of talk. The Executive Director of the Carbondale Park District, Kathy Renfro, is a Rotarian, and a past President of the Rotary Club to which I belong. She and her board saw the project come to life over the last five or so years. It became a reality because of her vision and her belief that a community swimming pool would help the community in so many ways.
I learned about this special program learn to swim one night when I happened upon the Park District meeting on community access tv. It’s a partnership between the Park District and the Saluki Masters Swim Club. Fourteen members of the club provided eight free lessons to each of the 30 participants.
Congratulations to the graduates of our last Adult Learn to Swim class of the summer. Swimmers ranged in age from 23-80, proving that you are never too old to learn to swim! We are proud of you!
© Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com, 2016. All Rights Reserved. If you enjoyed this post, please sign up for updates. Also follow me on twitter @GLOHistory and Pinterest www.pinterest.com/glohistory/
