Brooklyn Park Offers Free Swim Lessons
Brooklyn Park is giving free swimming lessons to underprivileged kids thanks to a grant from the USA Swimming foundation and Hennepin County. It’s the third year the city of Brooklyn Park has been able to provide free swimming lessons, which could save a life.
According to the CDC, drowning is the number one leading cause of unintentional death in children ages 1-4 years old. As for African-American children ages 5-19, they are 5.5 times more likely to drown then their white counterparts.
“There are several lakes around the area and pools that people have in their back yards,” says Patrice Holter, the Recreation Supervisor for Brooklyn Park. “We just want to make sure that they have the opportunity to learn some safety skills.”
While most won’t leave swimming like Olympic medalist Michael Phelps, the goal is to keep them safe if they find themselves in a dangerous situation involving water.
“We hope that the kids take away survival in the water and safety,” added Holter. “We want them to understand that water is very powerful and that when they are in it and or around it, they can help themselves.”
