T'ville Y provides pre-k swim lessons - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

T'ville Y provides pre-k swim lessons

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By Stephen Abel - bio | email

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THOMASVILLE, GA (WALB) -

Swimming is more than just a fun and healthy exercise.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning up to 88 percent among children aged one to four.

"We're surrounded by water here in the south and drowning is the second leading cause of preventable death in children. So the combination of the two is really an eye opening thing for our community and really everyone in this part of the country," said YMCA CEO Tom Everett.

Four and five year olds learned these life saving skills Tuesday at the Everett-Milton Y.

The YMCA in Thomasville is offering these free and reduced swim lessons to over 300 preschoolers in the community.

"We feel like every youngster ought to have an opportunity to swim whether it is financially affordable to their family or not. So the YMCA really steps up and makes sure this swim lesson program is available to everyone," said Everett.

And the kids did not only learn how to swim, but also what they can and cannot do while they are swimming.

"Don't go underwater if somebody doesn't see you," said Preschooler Caroline Westberg.

Each school will take turns bussing in their students until every Thomas County preschooler is swim ready.

An average of ten people drown every day in this country.

More than 20 percent of those victims are children 14 and younger.

Drowning is the sixth leading cause of unintentional injury death for people of all ages and the second leading cause for children up to 14 years old.

 

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