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Sussex Family YMCA joins world's largest swim lesson

Brooklyn Blackwell, 6, receives a helping hand from YMCA volunteer Betty Lou Dlabik during the World's Largest Swim Lesson. BY DAN COOK
Dan Cook
July 9, 2014
Elliott Lamb, 4, has a great time in the pool with volunteer Mary Houck. BY DAN COOK
Annabelle Mumford, 4, works on her kicking technique. BY DAN COOK
YMCA swim instructor John Zinsmeister stresses a point to the participants. BY DAN COOK
Lily Bisaha, 5, demonstrates her perfect starfish float. BY DAN COOK
Annabelle McBride, 6, left, and Savannah Jones, 6, do "water bobs" during the World's Largest Swim Lesson. BY DAN COOK
Josey Murr, 5, swims under the watchful eye of YMCA preschool and camp director Nate Walker. BY DAN COOK
Bailey Brown, 4, gets a helping hand from volunteer Judy Catterton. BY DAN COOK
A camper gets a helping hand from YMCA board member George Brown. BY DAN COOK
Volunteers Betty Lou Dlabik, in the pool, and Peggy McCloskey hand out swim noodles to help the campers stay afloat. BY DAN COOK

The World's Largest Swim Lesson, an international program, made its stop for the second year June 20 at the Sussex Family YMCA.

Forty countries along with 48 states took to the water at exactly the same moment to comprise the 40,000-participant lesson. The Sussex Family YMCA is one of the two locations in Delaware where the lesson is taught. This year, 51 children took advantage of the free lesson here.

The program was designed five years ago to bring awareness about water safety. May was water safety month, but the lesson is held in June because more people drown in June than any other month.

"We couldn't have done the lesson without the volunteers who taught the children," said YMCA Aquatics Director Lydia Schmierer. "It was a great event."

The World's Largest Swim Lesson isn't the only time lessons are taught at the YMCA.

"Sussex Family YMCA swim lessons run by the week in the summer so vacationers and locals alike can take advantage of them," said Schmierer.

"It's a great event that brings a lot of awareness to our community where we are surrounded by water," said Sussex Family YMCA Director Lauri Weeks.

For more information, go to www.worldslargestswimlesson.org.

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Dan has worked for the Cape Gazette for more than 30 years as a photographer and reporter, covering high school sports and happenings around eastern Sussex County. He won a photography award from the National Newspaper Association, and numerous awards from the Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Press Association. A Delaware native, Dan graduated from Cape in 1972 and returned as a teacher and coach in the 1980s. He retired from the classroom in 2016. He was inducted into Cape High’s Legends Stadium in 2016. In his spare time, Dan enjoys spending time with his wife, two sons, grandchildren and dogs. 

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