A senate RESOLUTION

To recognize may as "National water safety month" and to honor the Summerville Family YMCA, the Summerville Medical Center, Colleton and Dorchester Parks and Recreation departments, Dorchester County School District 4, and Colleton County School District for their partnership to increase safety on the water in South Carolina.

Whereas, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), South Carolina ranks ninth in drowning deaths in the United States with Dorchester, Berkeley, and Colleton counties leading these statistics; and

Whereas, the Summerville Family YMCA has had a long-standing commitment to addressing these alarming drowning statistics in the area and beyond; and

Whereas, in 2023, the Summerville Family YMCA partnered with Summerville Medical Center, Colleton and Dorchester Parks and Recreation departments, Dorchester County School District 4, and Colleton County School District to curb these statistics with the program, Splash into Safety; and

Whereas, Splash into Safety utilized a mobile swimming pool that travelled to the rural areas in Colleton and Dorchester counties. Even though the mobile pool was used in St. George and Walterboro, the program saw parents and children coming from Summerville, Ladson, North Charleston, Bamberg, Orangeburg, and Goose Creek to take advantage of the safety education; and

Whereas, Splash into Safety served over three hundred thirty children between the ages of five and eleven. The program taught children how to tread water, to float, how to recover in case they fell into a body of water, and to swim-float-swim; and

Whereas, parents also learned how to keep their children safe around water. Parents were taught CPR and were asked to be "Water Watchers" to help reduce water emergencies; and

Whereas, prior to and since this program utilized the mobile pool, the Summerville Family YMCA has been working with Berkeley First Steps, YMCA afterschool families, and Beyond Basic to provide these services to any and all in the community; and

Whereas, the program continues to grow and has won several regional, state, and local awards for the partnerships that were created between local governments, hospital systems, and nonprofit organizations; and

Whereas, the South Carolina Senate deeply appreciates the significant work of the Splash into Safety Program and commends the partnership in Summerville that makes it possible. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, recognize May as "National Water Safety Month" and honor the Summerville Family YMCA, the Summerville Medical Center, Colleton and Dorchester Parks and Recreation departments, Dorchester County School District 4, and Colleton County School District for their partnership to increase safety on the water in South Carolina.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Joe Debney, CEO of the Summerville Family YMCA.

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