JCC Safe Water Initiative – Free Lessons for Children and Adults
I received the following information from Esther Apt at the JCC about FREE swimming lessons for anyone who has completed kindergarten through adults who have never had formal swim lessons. The idea is to provide a water safety program to individuals who might otherwise be at risk when pools open. The program is held May 24th-27th to coincide with the week before most community pools open for the summer season. Our own neighborhood pool will be opening the weekend after this program, so if you or someone you know does not know how to swim, please take advantage of this opportunity. Details and contact information are below from the JCC:
JCC of Greater Baltimore Aims to Keep Maryland Kids Safe With “Make a Splash™ Safe Water Initiative: Maryland”
Who: JCC of Greater Baltimore
Individuals completing Kindergarten through Adult who have never had formal swim lessons
What: Safe Water Initiative: Maryland (SWI:M)/JCC of Greater Baltimore
Free swim lessons for members and non-members who meet criteria
When: Monday-Thursday, May 24-27
Scheduled half-hour lessons from 5:00-7:00pm
Where: Rosenbloom Owings Mills JCC
Shapiro Rec Park
3506 Gwynnbrook Avenue
Owings Mills, MD 21117
Fee: FREE
Contact: Bill Kirkner, 410.356.5200, x318 or bkirkner@jcc.org
Or Sue Szembroth, 410.356.5200, x304 or sszembroth@jcc.org
Download an application at www.jcc.org/makeasplash
The JCC of Greater Baltimore’s award-winning water safety program returns during the week leading up to Memorial Day (May 24 – 27) led by none other than the Barracudas’ Coach Audrey. With support for the program from the USA Swimming Foundation’s “Make a Splash Safe Water Initiative: Maryland” and corporate sponsors Enterprise vehicle rentals and American Pools, the JCC wants to get parents and kids alike thinking about water safety, and encourage them to learn-to-swim.
The program will include a daily lesson for each participant taught by American Red Cross certified Water Safety Instructors. Assisting will be American Red Cross GuardStart: Lifeguard Training Tomorrow™ participants as well as members of the Baltimore Barracudas swim team (an official USA swimming foundation team). The timing of the event is crucial as it comes in advance of the traditional opening day for community pools. Research shows that two-thirds of all drownings occur between May-September.*
“We know that if a child doesn’t learn to swim by the third grade, they likely never will,” said Chris LaBianco, chief development officer for the USA Swimming Foundation. “Swimming is more than a recreational skill, it’s a skill that can save lives, and it is vitally important that we provide water safety education to kids from all socio-economic groups at an early age.”
About USA Swimming
As the National Governing Body for competitive swimming in the United States, USA Swimming formulates the rules, implements policies and procedures, conducts national championships, disseminates safety and sports medicine information and selects athletes to represent the United States in international competition. USA Swimming has more than 300,000 members nationwide and sanctions more than 7,000 events each year. For more information, visit usaswimming.org.About the USA Swimming Foundation
Respected for its mission, its strength of programs and its record of excellence, USA Swimming is a blue-ribbon institution in both amateur athletic and community service arenas. Through USA Swimming and the USA Swimming Foundation, millions of America’s youth have been introduced to the sport of swimming and have experienced the life-altering power of the sport – they see it manifest itself in ways such as safety, health and fitness, academic achievement, improved social skills, discipline, focus, community leadership and eventual personal and professional success. Based in Colorado Springs, the Foundation is governed by its own board of directors and is managed by USA Swimming staff members.For more information on Make a Splash, or to sponsor a swim lesson for a child, please visit www.makeasplash.org.
*Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control
*Source: Orange County Fire AuthorityThe Jewish Community Center is an educational, cultural and recreational agency supported by THE ASSOCIATED: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore.
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/freeloosedirt/
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