JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – April 28, 2019 – Yesterday, the First Coast YMCA hosted free community events at nearly all branches in celebration of Healthy Kids Day to kick-off its annual Safety Around Water initiative. YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day featured fun activities and resources to inspire kids to keep their minds and bodies active throughout the summer. Both Healthy Kids Day and Safety Around Water are designed to inspire kids to keep their minds and bodies active while providing them with activities and resources to achieve their full potential all year long.
“Summertime is the perfect opportunity to enrich children with education and fun activities to ensure they don’t become a part of the summer setback,” said Eric Mann, president and CEO of YMCA of Florida’s First Coast. “Healthy Kids Day and Safety Around Water both encourage children and families to keep learning throughout the summer both in and out of the pool, while simultaneously providing a fun event for all families to enjoy.”
Safety Around Water is a 4-month long drowning prevention program that prepares children and parents for a summer filled with confidence in and around water. Kids aged 6 – 12 are eligible for free swim testing at any Y location with a pool throughout the summer. This program helps ensure children learn essential water safety skills. As the YMCA kicked off the initiative this year, over 100 First Coast kids were swim tested on Healthy Kids Day.
Healthy Kids Day is celebrated annually at more than 1,300 Y’s across the country, with over 1.2 million participants. This year’s event encouraged healthy home behaviors and served as a powerful reminder to keep children educated and active during the summer months. The Y is dedicated to showcasing each child’s full potential and provide them the “Best Summer Ever” through learning and bonding with others.
Healthy Kids Day is a national initiative to improve the health and well-being of children across the country. The Y’s Safety Around Water campaign launched simultaneously with Healthy Kids Day to emphasize the importance of healthy living, youth development and drowning prevention. Due to generous community grants and donations, First Coast YMCA is able offer this program for free.
For more information about Healthy Kids Day or Safety Around Water, visit fcymca.org.
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About the First Coast YMCA
For more than 110 years, YMCA of Florida’s First Coast has been providing men, women and children of all ages, and from all walks of life, opportunities to build stronger bonds, live healthy and become more engaged with their communities. Learn more: www.fcymca.org.
