We all know that summer break is far from over and that means plenty of more time to be around pools and lakes to cool down. Being comfortable around water and knowing how to swim is an essential life-saving skill, and that’s why the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit wants to provide equitable access to safety and swim classes.
Cydney Taylor, the Executive Director of Detroit Swims, and Latitia Thomas, the Senior Vice President of Communications and Marketing with the YMCA, joined host Tati Amare to discuss their new water safety initiative, Detroit Swims.
According to Thomas, group swim lessons were invented at the YMCA, so it has been a passion of theirs for a while. Recently, the Farner Family Foundation granted the Y $1,000,000 to teach thousands of kids to swim in Metro Detroit, so now is the time to learn.
Drowning is the second leading cause of death for school-aged children according to the CDC. The Detroit Swims program aims to teach participants safety skills around the water. This can be everything from how to safely get into and out of the water, to what to do if you dive into water that is too deep for you to stand.
The YMCA is asking for community members to help by donating to the program so they can meet their matching goals, and join their team.
The classes are free and you can sign up online. Join the waitlist if they are full as they keep adding more sessions.
If you are an adult who wants to learn how to swim, the YMCA offers classes that are under $100.
For more information, watch the video above, and visit the YMCA website.