SIDNEY — Approximately 375 children partook in the Sidney-Shelby County YMCA’ s 30th annual water safety program this week where they learned valuable life-saving skills in the water.
The program was presented free of charge to all area children, regardless of YMCA membership, and was sponsored by the Sidney Daily News, in cooperation with Minster Bank, Ruese Insurance, and Frickers.
The theme for this year’s event was “Star WAteRS: May the Swim Be With You.”
Grandmother to five of the young participants Charlotte Huelsman said, “All week (volunteers) were dressed up as various Star Wars characters like: Jedis, Princess Leia. The kids really liked it. … I have a pool and I said ‘you must sign up if you want to do swim-Sundays at mamaw’s;’ that was our deal.”
“The rescue portion of it, when we learned how to save (someone), we talked about that afterward and I think that stuck most with them,” said Huelsman. “Some of the suggestions or recommendation they gave us for making them feel more at ease were wonderful! Because both of them (the two youngest) had water fear, so we went into this with two fearful children, and came out with two less than fearful children. They seem like they had fun.”
During the rescue portion, all of the young participants practiced how to save someone. The instructors had the children obtain a flotation device or a “noodle” and lay on their stomach near the edge of the pool and extend it out to the person in trouble. Then they slowly reeled their parent or grandparent toward the edge of the pool to help save them. Huelsman said she was surprised how well her 3-year-old and 4-year-old grandsons followed instructions and understood what to do.
Huelsman said the youngest and most fearful two of the group were initially very uncomfortable in the water the first two days, but during the last two days they learned how to float. Once they realized they could float on their own, “you could see it on their faces, like ‘hey, I really can float.’”
YMCA Aquatics and Youth Coordinator Jessica Elliot said that floating is the safe and rest position in the water, referring to it as the “starfish” pose; it is what they intended to instill in each child attending.
“I think the week went really well,” Elliot said. “My gratitude is toward these volunteers and my staff because they have all done it for years. I was more confident and comfortable this year where I could walk out of the pool and do other tasks that I needed to get done at the Y — knowing the safety (of the children) … I can’t take a lot of this credit, it’s my staff and volunteers. That is my big thing that stuck out.”
About half of the volunteers were new, with the remainders being multiple year return helpers. Two of Elliot’s staff members have participated in the program formerly called “Splash” for the full 30 years, while several youngsters made this their first time volunteering.
Shelby Blankenship, 13, a first-year volunteer who had previously taken Splash for “at least three years” said she signed up to help because, “I just like to help the little kids.”
Her younger sister, Leah Blankenship, 12, also a first year volunteer said, ” I really liked it, and the kids got better and better.”
Parents, who participated in the water with their children ages 3-5, were instructed to have them go under water and some children came up smiling, and others crying. Elliot said that crying is normal and those are the children who need to be taken to the pool more. She said that initially her 5-year-old daughter hated it and cried a lot, but she continued to push her to get comfortable with the water. Elliot said that now her daughter will go all the way to the bottom of the 4-foot pool and back up easily because she “loves the water.”
Kelli Doty has three children that have all taken the water safety program, with this being the first year for her youngest child, 3-year-old Kinsley.
“The kids love it. We make it a family thing every year,” Doty said. “(Kinsley) loved it. Definitely got more comfortable at the end much better than when she began. She loves water and kept wanting to get in, but (not) getting her face wet.”
Other than the confident team Elliot relies on, she was especially impressed by the parents that brought out their children who have disabilities.
“I appreciate those parents who bring out their child with a disability. It was remarkable seeing those kids,” Elliot said.
She said that they hope to have children sign up for swim lessons as a result of the week and said she had a few people inquire about classes. The YMCA offers private, one-on-one; semi-private, of two or more; and group swim lessons. The lessons range from the “shrimp” class starting for children 6-months of age, up to the “shark” level. Many students are on the swim team, and Elliot said she would love to see more children join.
“If people have any type of aquatics question, please call and ask. I will try to call back in a good timely manner,” Elliot said.
Elliot can be contacted at the YMCA at 937-492-9134.
