In Honor of Connor

Robby Tollett contacted the Connor Cares Foundation about completing a marathon for our charity! We were beyond thrilled to accept his offer and are excited for this new venture. Robby is a lifeguard and a WSI certified swim instructor. He previously worked at Waugh Chapel Swim Club (the very first pool Connor Cares donated an AED too) and has ran in a Miami Marathon this year as well. His next marathon is in March 2015 and we are aiming to raise enough money which will benefit the inner-city children of Baltimore with our partnership through Baltimore Parks & Rec. Our goals will include supporting the program by outfitting the kids with bathing suits, towels, swimming lessons and transportation among other necessities.




The Connor Cares Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization which was founded in 2007 after the death of five-year-old Connor Freed, who drowned underneath an empty lifeguard chair in five feet of water at a country club pool. A patron of the pool spotted Connor's lifeless body and pulled him out of the water. Another patron began performing CPR as he threw up water. Once 911 were called, they questioned, "Is there a defibrillator there?" The response: "Yes. But we are not allowed to use it." Since 2006, laws have changed and the Red Cross now requires lifeguards to be trained on the use of AED's. "Connor's Law" was passed on April 9th, 2013, which requires all public pools to have AED's on site as well as trained personnel present. Maryland and the Connor Cares Foundation will lead the nation in the placement of defibrillators at public pools to help prevent needless drownings and other associated tragedies that could be stopped.

In addition to donating defibrillators, the foundation aims to bring about awareness regarding water safety and drowning statistics, and educate the public through campaigns, fundraising, and training. The Connor John-James Freed Scholarship Fund has sponsored over 1000 children in Arlington Echo's Drownproofing Program in Anne Arundel County. The fund provides an assortment of necessities for under privileged children that otherwise could not afford the drownproofing program and associated cost. Our second scholarship fund, "Not One More Child Drowns" helps to support the Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) program and has raised over $10,000 for the cause. ISR is a program that teaches children 6 months-6 years of age life-saving techniques. Currently in the works is our third program that will benefit the inner-city children of Baltimore with our partnership through Baltimore Parks & Rec. Our goals, other than providing defibrillators, will include supporting the program by outfitting the kids with bathing suits, towels, swimming lessons and transportation among other necessities.

We will continue to actively work toward our primary goal of a safe world where drowning is no longer a leading cause of death and pools are made safer by providing education and encouraging all pools to follow a standard.