Toledo mom Hero Award finalist for lifesaving mission - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Toledo mom Hero Award finalist for lifesaving mission

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TOLEDO, Ohio -

A Toledo woman is being honored on a national level for her dedication to helping children to learn how to swim. Wanda Butts is the founder of The Josh Project, and is currently a top ten finalist for CNN's Hero of 2012.

Wanda Butts will be featured on the network in December. She found out she was a finalist just a few days ago.

"I just screamed when she told me because I was so excited," said Wanda. "I didn't believe I would make it. But I did, so now we are trying harder to be the number one CNN Hero and so we're asking our community, our friends, everybody in Toledo to vote."

Wanda and The Josh Project will be featured on the network in December. The winner of CNN's Hero of the Year award will receive a $250,000 grant. As a finalist, The Josh Project' will receive a $50,000 grant, but Wanda wants to win it all for Toledo.

"I want to save that $50,000 to go along with the $250,000 to build an aquatic center in our community. A state of the art aquatic center, where we can have shops in there about swimming, teach older people," stated Wanda. "Also, our children will be able to take swimming lessons every day in stead of once a week."

In order for Wanda to win, you have to vote online at CNN and click on Wanda's picture. You can vote up to 10 times a day, everyday until November 28th. The winner will be announced live in December.

On Saturday, nearly 20 families registered for swimming classes during an open registration at the University of Toledo's Scott Park Campus. Another swim registration session will be held there on at the University of Toledo's Scott Park Campus. Another open swim registration session will be held at UT's Scott Park Campus on September 29, 2012 from 2-4pm in room 1080 C. 

The Josh Project began after a personal tragedy. Wanda lost her 16-year old son Josh when he drowned in a lake while rafting. And each kid that learns how to swim helps soothe this still grieving mother.

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