LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Lexington swim school is challenging the community to commit to a life-saving resolution in 2020. Aqua-Tots wants parents to take the need to educate their kids about water safety seriously, and to do so they are doing a special promotion for those who may not otherwise have the chance.
"We're trying to raise the awareness that year-round swim lessons is so vitally important, " said Aqua-Tots owner & master water safety instructor Lindsay Thayer.
Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in children ages one to four, so Aqua-Tots is committed in 2020 to their mission of saving lives through drowning prevention education.
"If you are under the age of four and you are in a consistent swim lesson program, your chance of drowning is reduced by 88%, " said Thayer.
Mom Brooke Hunt said she has gained great peace of mind watching both of her little ones learn respect for the water. Children can start taking lessons as young as four-months-old.
"We're human, kids are fast, so knowing that we can have even like 10 seconds maybe if we turn our head and they're over here... that has given me so much comfort, " Hunt said.
At Aqua-Tots, children learn basic water safety skills, how to crawl in and out of the pool safely and what to do if they fall in. And to even the playing field, the school is giving away free lessons for a year to children who might not otherwise have the opportunity to learn how to swim, all for the sake of saving lives.
"So we are asking our community members to nominate a child, tell us their story and then we're going to offer free swim lessons to 20 kids, " said Thayer.
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You can nominate a child for the #LearnToSwim2020 campaign.
Or check out the group's Instagram, Facebook and website for more information.
