BRADENTON – Members of The Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island say their Learn to Swim program was another big success this year.
Thanks to fundraising efforts by the Rotary, as well as a $4,000 grant from the Bishop Parker Foundation Fund of the Manatee Community Foundation, 82 area children were able to participate in the program this year at the Bradenton YMCA. There were four eight-day sessions, with half taking place in June and half in July at a cost of $80 per child, which was 100% covered by fundraising efforts, such as the Rotary’s annual golf tournament. The tournament was held on April 3 and raised $20,000.
The AMI Rotary says because this is Florida and children are around water more than most places in the country, it is vitally important that they can swim, but many families aren’t able to afford swimming lessons or regular access to a pool. It’s not only a way to possibly save lives, but offers a fun experience for kids who might not normally be exposed to swimming.
The program is three-pronged, with AMI Rotary providing the funds, the Manatee County Boys and Girls Club finding the children in need of the program, and the Bradenton YMCA providing the pool and instructors to give the lessons. All three organizations are 501(c)(3) non-profits.
“From 2018-2020, Florida had the highest unintentional drowning death rate among children 0-9 years of age,” Rotary Club of AMI President Kathy Rylander said. “We are working hard to change the statistics. Serving over 500 local children in six years is a huge accomplishment for our club and we hope to serve hundreds more in the future.”
