Al Lipitz finishes nearly 1.5 mile swim-a-thon in 90 minutes to garner $10,175 for GenerateHope
Oceanside CA— Oceanside resident Al Lipitz completed 100×25 yard “You Can Call Me Al Swim-a-thon” at the Ocean Hills Country Club pool on Tuesday, June 6 raising $10,175 to benefit San Diego non-profit GenerateHope. Organized by Ocean Hills Country Club residents Paul and Jerri Starkey and with support from Lipitz’s wife Gloria, the fundraiser gathered support from over 100 locals, agreeing to pledge per lap completed by Lipitz. Over 50 neighbors attended the swimming challenge, which streamed live updates on Facebook, to cheer on the 70-year-old as he completed the nearly mile-and-a-half swim in under 90 minutes.
All proceeds from Lipitz’s swim benefit GenerateHope, a local organization that provides an integrated recovery program for survivors of sex trafficking. GenerateHope is slated in 2018 to open another Recovery Home program in North County to provide much-needed services to young women who have been victims of trafficking. San Diego is in the top eight high-intensity areas for commercial sexual exploitation of children in the nation, and generates $810 million in illicit sex trade each year in San Diego alone. GenerateHope provides a path to recovery for local women enslaved in the sex trade industry. The organization offers long-term housing, education courses, customized therapy, and social and medical services support to each survivor to empower and enable them to regain a successful and productive independent life.
“We at GenerateHope are so blessed by the kindness from Al, Gloria, Paul and Jerri, and are beyond grateful for their contribution,” said Dan DeSaegher, Executive Director of GenerateHope. “It’s tremendously important to spread awareness about the growing epidemic of sex trafficking in our city. The proceeds from Al’s incredibly impressive swim-a-thon will be instrumental in continuing the efforts of creating a safe, healing environment for the survivors in our recovery program and future recovery home in North County.”
About GenerateHope
GenerateHope is a 501(c)(3) foundation established in 2009 in San Diego, CA. As the first and only recovery program for trafficked women in San Diego, GenerateHope addresses the specific needs of local survivors of sex trafficking through education, psychotherapy, case management, adjunct therapies and community support for medical, dental and psychiatric needs. Over 90 survivors have found healing from the extreme trauma of trafficking, thanks to GenerateHope’s unique, long-term care program. GenerateHope currently operates a recovery house and is in the process of opening a transitional house in Coronado. For more information or to get involved, visit http://generatehope.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GenerateHope.org/ instagram: @generate.hope twitter: @GenerateHope