Organization’s commitment to water safety & drowning prevention year-round
Submitted Carlos Goycochea
Education around water safety and drowning prevention are paramount in Florida, which annually leads the nation in childhood drownings. The YMCA of South Florida is committed to curtailing this trend through its many aquatics programs that take place throughout the year.
Recently, the YMCA of South Florida held its annual “Swim for Jenny” week, offering children and adults a week of free swim lessons at each of the Y’s pools. During the course of the week, the Y taught more than 2,000 people this life-changing skill. Since its inception in 2013, the program has served more than 20,000 people and provided more than 100,000 lessons.
Swim for Jenny is just one part of the YMCA of South Florida’s comprehensive water safety and drowning prevention programs, which offers more than 25,000 swim lessons in the community each year. Swim lessons reduce the risk of drowning by 88% in 1-4 year-olds, making these skills a necessity in the childhood development process.
“Swimming is such an important skill to learn, especially in Florida where we are surrounded by water,” said YMCA of South Florida President & CEO Sheryl A. Woods. “Swim for Jenny provides the opportunity to impact thousands of people throughout South Florida by removing barriers to water safety in our community. We are thrilled that so many people came out this year, but water safety and drowning prevention is a year-round need in South Florida. We’re grateful to our partners, like Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, who help make this work possible, and all those who support our water safety efforts.”
Supporting funds for Swim for Jenny come from the Y’s annual Beach Ball Gala, which will be held this year on Saturday, October 5 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood. As the flagship event on the YMCA of South Florida’s annual calendar, Beach Ball embodies the Y’s unwavering commitment to water safety and drowning prevention. All proceeds from the Beach Ball Gala support Financial Assistance for Aquatics programming, meaning that anyone – regardless of ability to pay – can come to the Y to learn water safety. For more information on Beach Ball, please visit ymcasouthflorida.org/beach-ball.
In addition, community members have the opportunity to contribute to this immense impact through the Y’s annual campaign, which is now ongoing. Each year, through its numerous programs and services, the YMCA of South Florida provides more than 3 million opportunities for people throughout the community to grow and thrive. As part of this campaign to support “Families of Y,” any one of several initiatives can be earmarked, including swim lessons for a child.
For more information on the Y’s annual campaign, please visit ymcasouthflorida.org/give.
About the YMCA of South Florida
For more than a century, the YMCA has been woven into the fabric of the South Florida community. As an award-winning nonprofit, the Y is committed to strengthening community through more than 200 programs serving everyone from six months old to 100 years young. Our Family Centers and programs are inclusive, vibrant hubs of community life, offering a diverse array of classes, cutting-edge fitness facilities, life-saving aquatics, exciting community events, unforgettable camps, supportive afterschool care, and holistic health and wellness programming. At the Y, there’s something for everyone. Join the movement by connecting with us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or YMCASouthFlorida.org.
