SUMMER WITH SAFETY AROUND WATER

Many times children are left unsupervised in apartment complexes around swimming pools, and research shows that there is a high population of immigrant families in Dallas living in these complexes with children who do not know how to swim. Using apartment community pools, our staff actively engage and teach children from area complexes to swim at no cost. This summer, our Safety Around Water program reached out to several apartment complexes and were able to engage not only with the kids, but with parents of the swimmers as well. Three mothers from the Heather Ridge Apartment complex share their experience with Safety Around Water.  

Anna Casto: 

“I have been bringing my boys, who are 8 and 10 years old, to Apartment Swim for two summers. This program has allowed my sons to stay active during the summer while allowing them to work on their swimming skills. Their swimming keeps improving by the week and their confidence has also improved thanks to this program! They’ve recently come to the rescue to some of the participants who’ve had anxiety when getting into the water. This activity is one of the activities that we love to do during the summer.”  

Martha Audas: 

“This is the first summer that I have brought my two kids to Apartment Swim. My daughter has loved it from the very beginning and has been jumping straight into the water! Unlike my daughter, my son had a harder time with getting into the water. He cried the entire time at pool, but he seems to be getting much more acquainted by the day. For me, this program is amazing for the kids and would love for it to last longer.” 

Patricia Villegas: 

“I have been bringing my 5-year-old daughter to participate in Apartment Swim for the past three consecutive summers. This program has allowed my daughter to learn the skills necessary in case of an emergency regarding the pool. My daughter loves the program! As soon as summer starts, she’s asking me when her swimming lessons begin. The relationships with the lifeguards have also made this experience life changing for the participants. Because I know most of them from the past summers, I am able to get more comfortable at a faster pace. The fact that most of the lifeguards speak Spanish is helpful for the kids and parents that are Spanish speaking. I’d recommend this program to everyone who has children because [being able to swim] is a very important skill for the kids.” 

We can’t thank our lifeguards and staff enough for working hard to create another successful year for Safety Around Water! At the Y, we believe that safe swimming saves lives and that all children should be equipped with the skills to help them safely enjoy the water. 

To find out more information about Safety Around Water click here.