By Special to the Town Crier

Friends of the Fremont Pool, a fund-raising group for an Olympic-sized swimming pool in Sunnyvale, held a thank you event Sept. 30 at Chez TJ’s restaurant in Mountain View.

The restaurant’s owners, Jenny and George Aviet, Sunnyvale residents and swim enthusiasts, hosted the event.

Friends of the Fremont Pool has been working since December 1999 to raise $1 million for the City of Sunnyvale toward the cost of an Olympic-size swimming pool. The venture is a partnership between the city and the Fremont Union High School District. Although the pool and public shower facility is currently under construction at Fremont High School, the group is still hard at work.

“We don’t want a shortfall in our fund-raising to result in programming that is less than it could be if we raised the entire sum,” said Chairwoman Holly Lofgren.

Guests were treated to the company of swim and water polo Olympians Anne Cribbs, gold medalist in the 1960 Rome Olympics; Maureen O’Toole, seven-time Women’s World Water Polo Player of the Year and silver medalist at the 2000 Sydney games; Susan Jones-Roy, breaststroke Olympian from 1968 who currently holds a masters swimming title; and J. R. deSouza, Olympian from the 1992 Barcelona games. Chick McIlroy, water polo Olympian from 1960 and 1964 and member of the U.S. Water Polo Hall of Fame, spoke at the event.

Guests included Senator John Vasconcellos along with Assemblywoman Elaine Alquist and Sunnyvale Mayor Jack Walker.

The group has raised $770,000 toward their $1,000,000 goal and is still seeking funds. For more information, call 245-2875.