EL Segundo People

Kelsey Cummings of El Segundo follows the Manhattan Beach pier to shore and then runs up the beach during the 2019 International Surf Festival Dwight Crum Pier to Pier Swim. Photos and Kevin Cody

Cummings repeats at Pier to Pier Swim

Los Angeles County Lifeguard Kelsey Cummings, of El Segundo, was the first woman finisher in the International Surf Festival Dwight Crum Pier to Pier swim on Sunday August 4. Her time of 38:27 earned her seventh overall. She also placed first in last year’s Pier to Pier swim. In her freshman year at El Segundo High in 2008, Cummings led her team to the CIF-SS Division III title. She subsequently swam for the University of Michigan and now is an assistant coach for Alpha Aquatics.

Hannah Carlton, 24, also of El Seguneo finished second in her age division and was the fifth female finisher, in a time of 42:16. Alexander Cole, 14, of El Segundo, was fourth in his age group, in 42:49. 24 El Segundo swimmers competed the race.

El Segundo Mayor Pro-Tem Carol Pirsztuk catches the ribbon cut by Welcome Group CEO Amar Shokeen during the unveiling of the new AC Hotel.

Welcome Group opens AC Hotel

City officials and representatives of El Segundo-based Welcome Group celebrated the opening for the six-story, 180 room AC Hotel Los Angeles South Bay, at 2130 East Maple last month. Welcome Group developed and will manage the Marriott-owned hotel. The tech-friendly, pet friendly 100,000 sqare foot development is designed for business and leisure travelers.

Kinecta scholarship recipient Sabrina Marie Chwalek. Photo courtesy of Kinecta

Vistamar’s Chwalek earns Kinecta award

Vistamar School’s Sabrina Marie Chwalek was presented with a $2,000 Youth Scholarship by Kinecta Federal Credit Union during a recent awards ceremony at Kinecta’s El Segundo headquarters. Chwalek was one of eight scholarship recipients among over 200 applicants. Chwalek founded Vistamar’s Interact Club, which performs community service, and also founded Never Again Vistamar, student organization that promotes gun violence awareness. Sabrina was also editor of the Vistamar View. She plans to major in political economy at Berkeley next year.

Kinecta scholarship recipients were chosen by the Scholarship Program Selection Committee, comprised of 23 Kinecta employees. Students submitted written essays on how personal experiences influenced their development. Applicants were scored based on the essay, community involvement, GPA, and extracurricular.