During the recently concluded Camp Compass, a summer learning program conducted by Compass for Kids with School District 186, the 760 underserved children were delighted to get to go swimming once a week. This was accomplished by eliminating barriers of cost and transportation; even swimsuits and towels were furnished. Millions of U.S. children aren’t lucky enough to have a place and an opportunity to learn to swim. Consequenty, drowning deaths – 4,000 a year nationwide – are far too frequent. Springfield is fortunate that YMCA and Springfield Park District pools and programs help fill the swimming gap. The New York Times says more should be done across the country. Among the recommendations: Build more public pools and transform natural bodies of water into safer places to swim. Subsidize swimming lessons. Raise pay for lifeguards. “The United States can build a culture of swimming instead of one of drowning.” – Fletcher Farrar, editor
This article appears in Springfield’s cannabis entrepreneur.
