Free Swimming Program for kids age 3-12 at Manatee YMCA and Sarasota YMCA.
On Monday, Aug. 20 at 3 p.m., CEOs from five YMCA associations will join Florida Blue Market President David Pizzo at the South Tampa Family YMCA pool, 4411 S. Himes Ave., to kick off a collaborative effort to expand the Y's "Safety Around Water" (SAW) awareness campaign.
The drowning prevention program will expand at more than 30 YMCA locations in Tampa Bay.
A $155,000 grant from the Florida Blue Foundation will assist the Y in helping children ages 3-12 years learn basic swimming skills and practice safety habits while in and around the water at home, by the pool, on a boat or at the beach.
During a SAW course, certified instructors teach two sets of skills designed to reduce the risk of drowning and boost participants' confidence in and around water.
This free program is open to the community and a YMCA membership is not required; however, preregistration is required due to limited space. Times vary based on location. For more information, contact your local Y.
Statistics show drowning remains the leading cause of unintended, injury-related death for children ages 1-5 and the second leading cause of accidental death for children under 14.
Research shows participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent among children ages 1-4, yet many kids do not receive formal swimming or water safety training.
The Y and the Florida Blue Foundation believe teaching children how to be safe around water is not a luxury; it is a necessity.
Contact one of our two local YMCA's, at the links below...