ROCHESTER, NY – Every year, the YMCA of Greater Rochester helps thousands of children learn how to swim, but the need to learn isn’t limited to children. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than half of adults in the U.S. have never taken a formal swim lesson.
That is why we are proud to announce, thanks to support from The Y of the USA, the Maplewood Family YMCA will be offering free swim lessons to adults this summer.
“We talk to members every day who haven’t learned how to swim or have a fear of the water, so being able to offer our adult members these lessons – and eliminating any barrier of cost – is huge,” said Omar Hidalgo-Rojas, Aquatics Director at the Maplewood Family YMCA. “In addition to the life-saving skills a swim lesson provides, when people are safer in and around the water it opens up opportunities for an overall healthier lifestyle.”
As America’s Swim Instructor, the Y believes that water safety isn’t just something that’s needed in the summer; it’s a life skill that we believe deeply everyone should know. The grant will allow us to provide 50 adults in our community with free lessons to teach basic water safety.
"People think swimming is just being able to go back and forth in the pool doing laps, but it’s more than that,” Hidalgo-Rojas added. “It’s therapeutic; it’s a place to relax and have fun. We hear a lot about the dangers of water, but there are more benefits to it than people think. Being comfortable in and around the water will help you enjoy the positive qualities that swimming has to offer, like being able to do water exercises that are not too hard on your body or being able to enjoy your time in open water or the pool while you are on vacation with family and friends. And at the Y, we believe everybody should be able to enjoy these moments."
Lessons will take place on Fridays July 11-August 22 at two times: 5:45 pm and 6:30 pm. Registration is required.
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