CAST is proud to support Live Like Jake. This year, CAST families sold watermelon-flavored lemonade and lollipops, watermelon cookies, and watermelon beach balls. We are grateful to everyone who came out to support us in our efforts and proud to announce that we raised over $700 for the Live LIke Jake Foundation.

I never had the opportunity to meet Jake Morrison. I’ve met his beautiful sisters, and I’ve seen them float and play confidently with my girls in the water. I’ve met Jakes kind and courageous parents, and we’ve become fast friends. In this business, and with this passion, there’s a family bond that’s hard to describe. We click quickly, but not without sadness, as the very reason for our friendships are tragic. 

Jake had taken many “swim” lessons, but the Morrison family believes that if Jake were taught to float, he’d be here today. This is why they’ve founded the Live like Jake Foundation. LLJ provides hundreds upon hundreds of ISR swim and self-rescue scholarships each year. Beyond this, they allow us to honor their son’s memory by inspiring us to Life Like Jake lived. July is Watermelons for Water Safety Month. Kids all over the country are encouraged to hold their own watermelon stand in order to raise funds for ISR scholarships. 

Our jobs will always be serious and there will always be sadness intertwined in our journeys, but today we were happy. We are happy to know the Morrison’s. We are happy to honor Jake. We are happy to empower our kids to give. We are happy to have the incredible privilege of being a part of the solution to the most common and most preventable cause of death in children.