"It all started when...

... my family and I went to the lake for the July 4th holiday weekend in 2013. We've always enjoyed time on the water. But that particular holiday was tough. Brutal, in fact. There were four fatalities that weekend, each one preventable. It hit me hard and troubled me deeply. Water is fun, but it's also dangerous. 

The next day, I shared my experience on air. I talked about how too many people die on lakes. I talked about the fact that water must be respected. And I wrapped by saying, "If anyone out there needs help promoting lake safety, I'll help." When I left the studio that morning, Dana Gage, Founder of The LV Project, was sitting in the lobby. Turns out, Dana and her family are P1s. Just one year prior, they'd lost their 15-year-old son and brother, Connor, to a preventable tragedy at the lake. Connor was an excellent swimmer and a great athlete, yet he died in the water. The Gage family founded The LV Project to prevent their story from becoming someone else's. LV stands for LiVe, LoVe, Life Vest. 

Each year since, I've hosted Connor's annual benefit run, The Honor Connor 5k and Smile Mile, with proceeds that go toward LV's buoyancy projects. The LV Project has also benefitted from downloads of our song, A Presence (thank you P1s!).  I serve on the LV board and am proud to work alongside the LV team to put an end to preventable water tragedies like Connor's. As Dana says, "Life vests on lakes should be like seat belts in cars. A must." -- George Dunham