45 Local Kids Take the Plunge for World's Largest Swim Lesson

The Hillsborough Family YMCA branch of the Somerset Valley YMCA on Tuesday joined in the World’s Largest Swim Lesson, a global event designed to heighten awareness about drowning prevention by emphasizing the importance of learning to swim.

The Hillsborough Family YMCA branch of the Somerset Valley YMCA hosted lessons for about 45 children.  Most of the children were ages 3-6 and are enrolled in the Y child care and development center, where they participate in weekly swim lessons. Some community members also brought their children to join the giant lesson.

The Y  was among more than 700 water safety and training organization—including waterparks, pools and other aquatics facilities—to hold  local WLSL lessons simultaneously at 11 a.m. in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record. The swim lessons took place on five continents.

Last year, over 24,800 participants representing 16 countries on five continents set a world record. All of the organizations hosting the lessons had one goal in mind—sending  the message that swimming saves lives.

“We participated in this event because we want as many kids as possible to learn lifesaving skills and we feel this national program brings awareness to drowning prevention,” Lisa Slover, Associate Aquatics Director at the Hillsborough Somerset Valley YMCA branch said. “Our goal is to save lives.”

According to the Center for Disease Control, every day in the U.S, 10 people die from drowning;  children under the age of 14 are the biggest risk of losing their lives in their lives, yet many kids do not receive lessons in water safety.

In New Jersey last summer, between June and mid-August, 22 people, all younger than 25, died in drowning accidents.

To keep children safe around pools and at the beach, the nonprofit Y offers a variety of swim programs at minimal cost at its Bridgewater, Hillsborough and Somerville YMCA branches. These swim classes allow the children to have fun while developing confidence and learning life-saving water skills.

 “At the Y, we are committed to providing as many opportunities as possible for everyone to learn basic swimming skills and water safety practices,” said Ms. Slover.

Responding to a rash of drownings and near-drownings in recent years, the Y has created several water safety programs, including SPLASH, a week-long water safety basic skills program, which can be found on the Y website, www.ymcasomersetvalley.org.

Submitted by Bev McCarron