YMCA’s 2012 Water Safety Week serves 394 Sussex children

Water, water everywhere, but not every child knows how to swim.

During the Easter break, however, 394 Sussex County children became a lot more comfortable in the water after five days of the Sussex Family YMCA’s 2012 Water Safety Week.

Sponsored by a number of local individuals and organizations, the YMCA’s Water Safety Week provides swimming and safety lessons free to children ages 5 to 13 in the Cape Henlopen, Indian River and Milford school districts.  According to Program Director Lauri Weeks, the half-hour lessons each day involved “getting the kids comfortable in the water, putting their faces in the water and getting them mobile. We worked to make sure that the new swimmers understood their limits, knew how to be safe, and how to use equipment and their bodies to help others and help themselves.” Weeks said she explained the program to the parents and grandparents who brought their children to the Rehoboth Beach facility’s pool.  By the end of the week they were most grateful for what their children had learned.

“The overwhelming words of gratitude were music to my ears as many parents and grandparents shared that they had never had the opportunity to become comfortable in the water … and they were so pleased that we had an opportunity for their kids to not only be water safe but enjoy the water as well,” said Weeks.

Weeks said she had two 13-year olds who were terrified of the water on day one but by day two they were anxious to get back in the water.  “A lot of them don’t want to get out of the water once they’ve grown comfortable in it,” said Weeks. “And that goes for the instructors as well as the kids.  Everyone enjoys the experience.”

Weeks said this year’s program also involved 55 volunteers who helped out in the water, with registration, in the locker rooms and at the front desk fielding questions.

“The kids loved their teachers, loved the water and had so, so, so, so much fun all week in the water,” said Weeks.

Sponsoring individuals and organizations include Sussex Emergency Associates, Lewes-Rehoboth Rotary Club, Beebe Medical Center, Sussex Family YMCA, Joe Hudson, Judson Bennett and Cape Gazette.