Rocky Mountain Power Foundation donates towards PAC Learn-to-Swim Program
by Friends of PAC
May 21, 2020
Friends of PAC is thankful to the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation for their support of the Pinedale Aquatic Center’s Learn-to-Swim Program. These grant funds were used to help sustain affordable, year-round availability of swim lessons and water safety instruction. PAC believes that swimming and water safety are essential life skills and works hard to provide swim opportunities to all in the community. Over the course of this past year, PAC’s Learn-to-Swim program reached over 500 youth. Public classes were scheduled nine months of the year and courses within the school district were planned six out of the nine months of the traditional school year.
PAC uses American Red Cross curriculum in their programs. This nation-wide system provides structure for teaching adults and children not just how to swim, but also how to be safe in, on, and around water. The ultimate goal of Learn-to-Swim is to prevent drowning by introducing water and safety skills. This is a unique focus in PAC’s Learn-to-Swim Programs. At the start of each public lesson, all students participate in a water safety discussion. Topics include life jackets, assisting someone in need, being aware of weather and water conditions, and swimming with a buddy, to name a few. These classes are taught by certified and trained Water Safety Instructors.
PAC is proud to work directly with the local educators, from preschools through high school, to provide swim instruction to all ages. All Sublette County School District #1 elementary school students who do not receive swim lessons as a part of their grades physical education curriculum receive a voucher good for one free public swim lesson session during the year. In addition to the public and school district lessons, PAC also works closely with the local early childhood education providers. At least one session of swim lessons is scheduled directly with and for each of the four full-day preschools during the school year. Because of these special partnerships it is very rare for a student (who has gone through the public school system in Pinedale) to not have at least basic swimming skills. Grant funds received from Rocky Mountain Power were incredibly valuable in keeping these community partnerships going!
Thank you Rocky Mountain Power for your support of programs in our community!
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