Youths Wash Cars to Buy Sports Equipment

More than 100 young swimmers and basketball players will be sudsing and scrubbing cars Saturday at San Fernando Recreation Center to raise money for youth athletic programs in that city.

Members of the San Fernando Sharks, a swim team, and players from the San Fernando Youth Basketball League are combining efforts to raise money for goggles, swim caps, uniforms, basketballs and other equipment.

The San Fernando Recreation and Community Services Department keeps the cost of its athletic programs low--about $5 for each child--to ensure that everyone can afford to participate, said recreation supervisor Gwen Indermill.

The programs rely on fund-raising events to raise enough money to pay for even the most basic athletic equipment.

“Not all of the kids’ families can afford to pay for the programs, even when they are inexpensive,” Indermill said, “so the fund-raisers are really important.”

Recently, seven swimmers on the 45-member Sharks team qualified to compete in the finals of a regional meet that pitted them against competitors from all over Southern California. Several finished at or near the top of events in their age groups.

The Sharks are training for an Aug. 24 competition at Los Angeles Swim Stadium in Exposition Park.

The meet is sponsored by the Amateur Athletic Federation.

The carwash will be at Recreation Park, 208 Park Ave., San Fernando, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets for the carwash are $4 per car and $5 per van or truck if purchased before the event, and $1 more on Saturday.

For more information, call (818) 898-1290.