(NOTE: THIS EVENT HAS MOVED. DUE TO
February 26, 2019 — REDDING, CA — Swim Foundations, the Redding-based startup that provides training resources for swim instructors and swimming lessons to children, was awarded a grant to set up an exhibit during this year’s Week of the Young Child. “We’re very excited to have this opportunity,” says Nina Gibbs, founder of Swim Foundations and swim instructor. “We are fortunate to live in an area with beautiful natural water resources — lakes, rivers, ponds, and creeks. However, these areas also pose a severe risk to small children. This exhibit is an opportunity to raise awareness and share important water safety information.”
The Outdoor Water Safety exhibit will be displayed at the Family Fun Fest Kids Fishing Day event on Saturday, April 6, in Anderson.
What is the Week of the Young Child?
The Week of the Young Child is an annual week-long event hosted by First 5 Shasta and originally established by the National Association of the Education of Young Children. Its purpose is to showcase and celebrate “early learning, young children, their teachers, families, and communities,” according to the NAEYC website. This year events will be hosted during the week of April 6-13 by a variety of different businesses and organizations at locations across Shasta County.
Outdoor Water Safety for Families Exhibit
The mission of Swim Foundations is to enhance the quality of swim education in Shasta County and beyond by providing quality resources and training for swim instructors, parents, and children.
Visitors to the exhibit will get to try on life jackets, sit in canoes and kayaks, take home coloring books, and access an assortment of water safety educational materials. All information will be geared towards keeping children safe while having fun and exploring the natural water features in our area.
A certified river kayaker and representative from North State Parent Magazine will volunteer as a life jacket safety technician at the event and will be available to educate parents about the variety of swim resources available in our area.
The exhibit is part of the larger Family Fun Fest Kids Fishing Day event, hosted by City of Anderson Parks & Rec, which features fishing for kids in a stocked pond, food, stage performances, and a variety of interactive activities.
“Every summer, we experience the devastating loss of a young child right here in Shasta County, either at a home pool or at a lake,” Nina Gibbs explains. “This tells us more needs to be done to educate parents about water safety awareness. We hope that our booth plays its part.”
Parents and individuals with questions about Swim Foundations or its involvement in Week of the Young Child should visit their respective websites at swimfoundations.com and first5shasta.org/week-of-the-young-child. People can also contact Nina Gibbs by emailing her at hello@swimfoundations.com or by calling at (530) 638-0486.