The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson™ brings together tens of thousands of individuals from hundreds of communities around the globe who all participate in a swim lesson over the course of a 24-hour period to raise awareness about drowning and the fact that swimming is a vital life-saving skill that every child should learn.
Locally, the South Shore YMCA will be getting in on the action, offering a free swim safety course to any child ages 3-12 who registers in advance for the event. For more than 170 years now, the YMCA has been a leader in providing swim lessons, water safety instruction and water fitness classes to people of all ages. After nearly two centuries, a rich history of experience, involvement and practice has earned the YMCA the title of “America’s Swim Instructor,” making the Y’s involvement a natural fit for participation.
“The World’s Largest Swim Lesson is a great way to kick off summer, especially with so many South Shore families heading to local pools and oceans to enjoy the hot months that lie ahead,” said Meaghan Hilton, Director of Aquatics, South Shore YMCA. “Because most of the communities in our South Shore Y’s service area border bodies of water, the need for safety reminders and training at every level across the South Shore is critical, and the Y is here to help.”
Of course, being safe in and around the water requires more than just swimming lessons. But, learning to swim and the exposure to the water safety skills and messages that swimming lessons offers provides a lifelong foundation for drowning prevention.
REMINDER TIPS FOR PARENTS TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE AROUND THE WATER:
- Enroll your kids in swimming lessons; learning to swim is the strongest defense against drowning.
- Never leave kids alone in or around water, not even for a second. Put the cell phone away and give young children 100 percent of your attention when they are near or around water.
- Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.
- There is always risk associated with being in, on and around the water. But, loss of life from drowning CAN and SHOULD be prevented and we have the power to make that happen.
- Being safe in and around the water requires more than just swimming lessons. It requires constant, careful supervision of children, appropriate fencing and safety equipment, protection from hazards, knowing what to do in an emergency, including CPR, and an understanding that safety is a personal responsibility.
- Learning to swim and the exposure to the water safety skills and messages that swimming lessons offer provide a lifelong foundation for drowning prevention.
To learn more about the World’s Largest Swim Lesson at the South Shore Y or to sign your child(ren) up, visit www.ssymca.org. For questions, please contact Meaghan Hilton, Director of Aquatics (Emilson Branch, Hanover) at mhilton@ssymca.org or Ken Berardi, Director of Aquatics (Quincy Branch) at kberardi@ssymca.org.
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About the South Shore YMCA
The South Shore YMCA is a not-for-profit association of individuals dedicated to improving the quality of life for all through programs that promote healthy spirit, mind, and body. Serving the communities of Quincy, Randolph, Holbrook, Weymouth, Braintree, Milton, Hingham, Hull, Cohasset, Scituate, Norwell, Hanover and beyond, the South Shore Y provides the opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive through its services and programs. Financial Assistance is a Y community benefit available to all families in need, applicable to all Y programs and services. To learn more about the South Shore YMCA, visit www.ssymca.org. The South Shore YMCA. The Better You Belongs Here.