Folsom Lake to host water safety event one year after girl's fatal jet ski crash

FOLSOM — On a spring day, Folsom Lake and other valley waterways can look really inviting, but this water comes directly from the Sierra snowmelt. Kurt Witham uses insulated waders to keep warm while float fishing in the water, and many of the coves used by swimmers are now filled with logs and other debris washed downstream this past winter. "It's all blown up into here and it will stay in here until the wind changes," Witham said. Water safety advocate Shelly Churilo said that there are a lot of dangers on the lake this time of year. "Cold water, undertow, hazards, current — those are all the things that are happening in spring," Churilo said. "Lifeguards are not on right now, so that's a very bad situation too." On Saturday, she's helping organize a water safety event and 5K run at Folsom Lake's Beals Point. The event is being hosted by the family of Felicity Athena, a 12-year-old girl from El Dorado Hills who died exactly one year ago. "They were on vacation on spring break in Florida and rented jet skis, and there was a water safety accident and they lost their 12-year-old daughter to it," Churilo said. "The thing about a jet ski is it doesn't have breaks and those are really powerful." The family's hope is to raise awareness about keeping safe on the water and use Athena's jet ski crash as a way to prevent any further tragedies. "I don't think you can ever get over it, so they're trying to turn it into a positive experience," Churilo said. Saturday's water safety event starts at 5:30 p.m., and the 5K run takes place just before sunset. The event is free to attend, but there is an admission fee to get into Beals Point State Park.