Dear Editor,
We, the Board of Directors of the Malibu Aquatics Foundation (MAF), are writing to express our deep concern and distress regarding a recently published article in the Sept. 7 edition of The Malibu Times.
The Malibu Aquatics Foundation is an active and integral part of the Malibu community, providing valuable youth swim programs, master swimming, and aqua aerobics for adults. Our unpaid, all-volunteer board is composed of individuals deeply committed to the well-being of our community and its members, including the children who participate in our programs and have dedicated countless hours away from family and personal responsibilities to provide these services.
The article in question features representatives and supporters of the Malibu Marlins Swim Club making false statements and harmful allegations against the MAF and our board members without The Times seeking our input or allowing us to provide any counter-statement to these spurious accusations.
Over the past several months, we have suffered a relentless series of slanderous and hurtful personal attacks intended to inflict reputational damage, all of which we endured in stoic silence as we focused on building a world-class aquatics program.
We believe that it is imperative for The Malibu Times to rectify this situation. At a minimum, we request the opportunity to respond to the article and present our side of the story to the readership of The Malibu Times, who deserve access to unbiased and complete information.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your response and the opportunity to engage in a constructive conversation.
The Malibu Aquatics Foundation Board of Directors