September 18, 2001

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Raymond Abrahamsen
856-793-0600x205
e-mail:rabrahamsen@bayada.com
 
Bayada Nurses Sponsors Philadelphia Adaptive Rower in Catalina Crossing

Moorestown, NJ - Bayada Nurses is pleased to announce that it will sponsor adaptive rower Scott Brown as he and Angela Madsen participate in the 28th running of the Catalina Crossing-a 32.7 nautical mile open ocean race to be held in Marina Del Ray, CA on September 22, 2001.

Hosted by the California Yacht Club, the Catalina Crossing is one of the most difficult rowing events in the nation-drawing rowers from around the world. Racing from Marina Del Ray to the Isthmus of Catalina, participants face numerous obstacles-including rough water, strong currents, seasickness, and crossing the primary shipping lanes between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Participating in the race requires tremendous physical stamina and endurance and equates to running two marathons back to back. Brown and Madsen will face these challenges and more-Brown is an amputee and Madsen is a paraplegic.

"We are doing this to promote the sport of adaptive rowing worldwide and to boldly go where no people with disabilities of this nature have ever gone before," says Madsen. Adaptive rowing is rowing/sculling/crew for people with physical limitations or disabilities, including paraplegia, quadriplegia, blindness, visual impairment, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and spina bifida.

Brown and Madsen recently finished in first and second place at the National Adaptive Rowing Championship, which took place September 8, 2001 in Philadelphia, PA. That race was part of the Bayada Regatta-the largest all-disabled regatta in the nation. Brown lives in Philadelphia, PA, while Madsen resides in Long Beach, CA. They were brought together for this event by their mutual love and dedication to rowing.

"The strength, determination, energy, and endurance of Scott and Angela are truly inspiring," says Mark Baiada, president of Bayada Nurses. "We are thrilled and honored to be able to support Scott's participation in the Catalina Crossing and their quest to take adaptive rowing to a new level."

The race begins at 5:00 a.m. on September 22 from the guest dock of the California Yacht Club and will finish at the Isthmus of Catalina later that morning (rough time estimate is 6 hours).

Founded in 1975, Bayada Nurses is an independently owned home health care agency that employs more than 5,000 nurses, home health aides, and therapists working from more than 65 offices in 11 states. Bayada Nurses has sponsored the Bayada Regatta for 20 consecutive years.

For more information on Bayada Nurses, visit
www.bayada.com or call 888-4-BAYADA. For more information on the Catalina Crossing, please call 310-642-4790.

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