Courtesy: USA Swimming Foundation
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The USA Swimming Foundation, the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, and Swimways Corp., the leading pool and outdoor recreational products manufacturer, today announced a multi-year extension of their partnership that has successfully promoted the importance of teaching children the life-saving skill of swimming and being safer around the water.
The two organizations, which have been partners since 2016, will continue to team up in both the retail and philanthropic spaces to enable every child with the necessary tools to learn to swim, regardless of race, gender or financial circumstance. In conjunction, Swimways will remain an official sponsor of the USA Swimming Foundation, providing financial support to help fund free or reduced-cost swim lessons for children in underserved communities through the foundation’s Make a Splash initiative.
“We are honored to continue our partnership with the USA Swimming Foundation – utilizing their platform and working with USA Swimming Foundation Ambassadors to raise awareness about the importance of teaching children the essential life skill of swim,” Senior Vice-President and General Manager, Swimways Corporation Mo Wolthuis said. “We are also proud to provide financial support to the USA Swimming Foundation to fund free and reduced-cost swim lessons for children in need, so every child in America has the opportunity to learn to swim.”
The organizations will also continue to support Swimways’ annual National Learn to Swim Day™, a nationwide campaign that raises awareness about the importance of teaching children to swim. In years past, Olympians and USA Swimming Foundation ambassadors, Elizabeth Beisel and Rowdy Gaines, have supported the impactful day, which takes place the third Saturday of May each year.
“Swimways has been an incredible partner and sponsor of the USA Swimming Foundation,” USA Swimming Foundation Executive Director Debbie Hesse said. “In continuing our partnership, we will work side-by-side to further expand our outreach on Swimways’ National Learn to Swim Day™ and share our joint message of learning to swim on a national stage through Swimways’ nationally distributed products.”
According to a 2017 study completed by the USA Swimming Foundation, 64 percent of African-American children, 45 percent of Hispanic children and 40 percent of Caucasian children have no/low swimming ability, putting them at risk of drowning. With drowning as the second leading cause of accidental death for children 14 years and younger (CDC), the partnership between the USA Swimming Foundation and SwimWays, actively works to combat and improve these alarming statistics.
Families can learn more about Swimways and National Learn to Swim Day™ by visiting www.Swimways.com and www.teachmetoswim.com.