San Diego's Blair Cannon Announces 21-Mile Swim to Raise Money for Monarch School and the Great Friends Foundation

CARLSBAD, CA, June 30, 2011 (Press-News.org) Blair Cannon, a local philanthropist and vice president of Bernstein Global Wealth Management in San Diego, and his coach, world-renowned open-water swimmer Anne Cleveland, are announcing that Cannon will swim the 21 miles across the Catalina Channel to raise money for children's organizations in the San Diego area as part of the Cannon Catalina Challenge. Dating back to 1927, the first solo crossing of the channel, only 200 swimmers have successfully completed this swim. Cannon's attempt will take place Aug. 5 and is expected to take nine to fourteen hours.

Aiming to raise $10,000 for each mile, for a total of $210,000, Cannon's sanctioned swim will benefit the annual fund of Monarch School, the San Diego-based public K-12 school for children impacted by homelessness, and the Great Friends Foundation Scholarship Program for children of the military in San Diego.

Cannon, a member of the Board of Directors of the Great Friends Foundation, was first introduced to Monarch School in the fall of 2010 and was immediately impacted by the need to help San Diego's growing homeless-youth population. A competitive swimmer since the age of five, Cannon decided to challenge himself to the 21-mile swim on behalf of the Great Friends Foundation's Scholarship Program and Monarch School. His coach, Cleveland, suggested he spend a year and a half preparing for the swim. Cannon will take the plunge after just six months of training.

"Blair is truly dedicated to this swim and his determination is a testament that, just like him, the children of Monarch School and the Great Friends Foundation can do anything if they work hard enough," said Cleveland, who was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame June 19. "The Catalina Channel is one of the most difficult open water routes and a real challenge for any swimmer."

Cleveland successfully crossed the 21-mile stretch of the Catalina Channel in 2001. However, the swim was her second go as she had to be pulled from the water midway through her first attempt. Proving perseverance is everything, Cleveland later came back to successfully complete the swim as well as championing several other open-water milestones, including crossing both the Maui and the English Channels.

Cannon's swim will begin at midnight on Aug. 5 on Catalina Island and is expected to conclude between nine and 2 p.m. in Palos Verdes. Officially sanctioned by the Catalina Channel Swimming Federation, Cannon will not be allowed to make any supporting contact during the swim, to any other person or object. In addition, and despite swimming in 60 degree water, he will not be allowed to wear a wetsuit or other gear designed to either retain body heat or aid in buoyancy.

"The children at Monarch and those supported by the Great Friends Foundation face so many challenges," said Cannon. "I wanted to do this because I know these kids have felt cold or hungry or scared before, yet they are going to school and working to improve their lives. They inspire me, and this is a chance for me to do the same for them. I want them to see that any goal is possible if you work hard enough."

The community is encouraged to support the swim by making a donation at http://www.monarchschools.org/news-events/events-list/cannon-catalina-challenge. Corporate and individual sponsorships are also available by contacting Laura white at (619) 685-8242 or lwhite@monarchschools.org or Scott Kaplan at skaplan@san.rr.com.

For more information on the Cannon Catalina Challenge, the Great Friends Foundation and Monarch School, visit http://monarchschools.org or http://thegff.org.

About Monarch School:
Founded in 1988, Monarch School, located in downtown San Diego, is a public K-12 school exclusively for students who are at-risk and impacted by homelessness. Monarch School represents a unique public-private partnership between the San Diego County Office of Education and the Monarch School Project, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Today, more than 175 students between the ages of four and 19 are enrolled. Monarch School's committed team of educators, support staff and volunteers is dedicated to providing homeless and at-risk children with an accredited education while caring for their basic needs. Monarch School will break ground on its new campus in downtown San Diego in fall 2011. For more information, visit http://monarchschools.orgor call (619) 685-8242, ext. 227.

About the Great Friends Foundation Scholarship Program:
The Great Friends Foundation Scholarship Program identifies and honors high school seniors of the military in San Diego County. These students excel in leadership, academics, and community service. For more information please visit http://www.thegff.org.