“That was AWESOME!” That remark could have been after one of the Packer wins, following the lighting of the Square for Christmas, a great Fourth of July picnic…but it wasn’t. The comment was made by a second grade student who floated on his back, unsupported, for the first time. 

Just two and a half weeks before this moment, I spent a few minutes trying to get a scared little boy to trust me enough to get in the pool at the Y. The student, a second grader from Odom, was part of the fall SPLASH program. I count myself blessed to have the opportunity to volunteer for this fantastic program. 

SPLASH is a structured six class program of water safety and beginning swimming made available to each public school second grade student in the county free of charge. School buses bring the students to the Y for the program two days a week for three weeks. The head instructor follows a program developed by the National YMCA, and four or five adult volunteers work with each student individually. Some students come already knowing how to swim, some think they know how to swim, and some are totally afraid of even getting in the water. After an initial time in the water to access the comfort level of the student the volunteers start working with the student at their level. After three weeks, some students are better swimmers, some students can stay afloat, some students have overcome the fear of the water, but all students could benefit from more instruction. All students have gotten instructions on pool and water safety, what to do if they or a friend needs help in the water, and most important, not to go in the water, any water, without an adult to supervise. 

To be honest, I don’t have drowning statistics for our county in hand, but I know there have been several lives lost to drowning in the thirty-five or so years our family has lived here. The Y is offering another set of swim lessons, after school time for a minimal fee, and scholarships are available. I strongly believe each person, child or adult, should know how to swim. It is a lifelong skill that brings joy, exercise, and relaxation. It can be a group activity or personal meditation time. In addition to swim lessons, the Y offers swim team for beginners, intermediates and advanced students and competes in area meets during the summer. 

There are many rec programs and Y programs available in this county; football, baseball, softball, diving, taekwondo, fitness trails and gyms galore. These are great, and doctors tell us to stay active our entire lives. That said, there is only one activity that you may someday depend on to save your life, or the life of a loved one! Learn to swim, and make sure your entire family can swim. 

SPLASH is a great place for starting, but the follow-up to mastery and confidence comes through instruction and practice.

Charlotte Cook

Moultrie, Ga.