Red cross swimmers celebrate their success

Jul 29, 2010

Centre,l-r Mykayla Wilson (frog), Kirsten Hawley and Aleris Cronk with some of their swim students

Thanks to the efforts of local Red Cross swim instructors Aleris Cronk of Parham and long-time Sharbot Lake cottager Kirsten Hawley there will be over 150 improved swimmers at local beaches by summer’s end.

The two swim instructors, who between them have 13 years of experience teaching youngsters how to stay afloat at local beaches, just celebrated the end of the first of their two fully booked three-week Red Cross instructional swim sessions for the summer.

A celebration was held at the Olden Community Centre in Mountain Grove on July 23 and over 70 participating swimmers and their parents celebrated with a potluck lunch. Youngsters enjoyed the presence of Mykayla Wilson of Sydenham, who attended as the party's frog mascot.

The first Red Cross session took place at Big Clear Lake in Arden and Long Lake beach near Parham.

At the celebration Aleris and Kirsten handed out badges and report cards to those who completed the lessons.

The classes are available to school age children beginning at four years of age and consecutive levels are offered to all ages right up to and including the bronze medallion and bronze cross.

The program’s first aim is to make youngsters comfortable in the local waters they know best. Kirsten explained, “A lot of the kids who attend live around the lakes and beaches and these beach front lessons as opposed to pool lessons are great for them. The location allows us to start with very young kids in very shallow water. We gradually get them comfortable and able to swim in deeper water, usually by the time they are seven or eight years old.” Kirsten commented that the recent switch to a daily, consecutive 15-day program has helped to make their classes more effective overall. “We are now spending a little time every day instead of an hour a week with the kids, and as a result they seem to remember more.” Aleris added that the classes have evolved in a way to keep young swimmers interested and entertained. ”We introduced Swim-quest this year, a kind of obstacle course which we did with the kids yesterday which they loved. We are constantly bringing new games and ideas to the classes, which the kids really seem to enjoy.”

Aleris and Kirsten are obviously doing something right since their enrollment has continued to grow to the point where the classes fill up early. Aleris explained some of the reasons why. “Often kids will respond more readily to us than their parents as far as swimming instruction goes. We seem to know what to say and do to help to encourage them. Also when they see other kids swimming they get inspired.”

The second session of classes will take place at Eagle Lake and Sharbot Lake and both are fully booked.