I don't know about you, but it is turning into one hot summer. One of the best ways to beat the dog days is a cool refreshing dip, be it ocean, pool, or the St. Johns River.

On Thursday, July 21, the next installment of the Third Thursday Lecture Series, will feature St. Johns River swimmer and life coach Jim Alabiso. Alabiso will share his experience of swimming the St. Johns River on July 17. He will also share his motivation to swim 3.5 miles across the river and the importance of preserving this valuable resource.

The lecture will be held at the Mandarin Community Club, 12447 Mandarin Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32223. The event is free and open to the public.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the lecture will begin at 7 p.m.

For more information, please contact the Mandarin Museum & Historical Society at 904-268-0784.

I hope to see you at this inspirational lecture.

Sincerely,

Andrew Morrow
Executive Director
Mandarin Museum & Historical Society

About Jim Alabiso 

Jim Alabiso is a 56-year-old life coach and an open-water and competitive swimmer. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and moved to Jacksonville in 1972. In 2004, a bicycle accident caused a serious hip injury that required replacement surgery. During his long and painful recovery, Alabiso rediscover his passion for swimming, which enabled him to regain his fitness with a relatively low impact sport.

As his mobility improved, Alabiso continued to face chronic pain. Although there were options to alleviate the pain through medicine, he discovered how a healthy diet could nearly eliminate nearly all his physical pain. As he healed, Alabiso reflected on how his life experiences could be used to help others. He decided to become a life coach.

"At each stage of my life, I've had to assess where I was starting, where I wanted to be, and how best to get there. During the journey, I've been fortunate to laugh, love, and learn from it all," says Alabiso. "My decades of experience and my training as a life coach enable me to coach you as you jump into the life you're meant to lead, a life filled with passion, fun, confidence, and success."

While standing on the County Dock by the Walter Jones Historical Park, Alabiso watched the mullet jumping through the air. At that moment, he christened his life coach company Jumping Fish and promised himself he would some day swim the width of the St. Johns and land at this very spot. With his love for the St. Johns River, he decided to use the swim to bring awareness to the St Johns and the St. Johns Riverkeeper organization.

For more information about the Mandarin Museum & Historical Society and the Walter Jones Historical Park, call the museum at 268-0784 or visit the museum's website: www.mandarinmuseum.net.