On Friday, June 20, tens of thousands of participants from hundreds of locations around the globe, teamed up for the World’s Largest Swim Lesson (WLSL). In an effort to raise awareness about the importance of swim lessons, the C.W. Avery Family YMCA, the Galowich Family YMCA and the Smith Family YMCA served as official Host Location Facilities for the WLSL 2014 event, which aimed to set a new Guinness World Record for largest swimming lesson ever conducted.
All in all, more than 200 YMCA campers and staff took part in the initiative.
Tragically, drowning remains the leading cause of unintended, injury related death for children ages 1-5, and the second leading cause of accidental death for children under 14. Research shows participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent among children aged 1 to 4, yet many kids do not receive formal swimming or water safety training.
