Families invited to Water Safety Awareness Day at Goldfish Swim School

A serious message will be behind all the fun at Goldfish Swim School’s annual Water Safety Awareness Day on Saturday, May 16.

During the 4-6:30 p.m. event, the school at 2107 W. Stadium Blvd. in Ann Arbor will offer fun activities and information on precautions children and families can take while they’re in or near the water this summer.

Water Safety Awareness Day, which is free and open to the public, will also feature such activities as family swimming with certified lifeguards on duty, State of Michigan marina officers and rescue personnel from Washtenaw County, a bounce house, face painting, snacks and prizes.

“Goldfish is staging the event in conjunction with National Water Safety Month,” said Kaitlin Graf, the swim school’s general manager. “At Goldfish, water safety is a year-round priority, and Water Safety Awareness Day is an opportunity for us to further educate children and families about potentially lifesaving procedures.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, drowning is the leading cause of accidental-injury death among children ages 1 to 4.

Goldfish works to address that statistic through its Bubbles’ Water Safety Program, which features WATER safety rules for children:

· Wear your life jacket

· Act by going for help if someone is in trouble in the water

· Take swim lessons

· Educate yourself on swim safety skills, such as treading water, rolling onto your back and climbing out of a pool

· Respect rules of the water (following the rules while swimming, including listening to life guards and keeping your hands to yourself)

Goldfish’s ultimate goal is to ensure children are comfortable and confident in the water, Graf said. The school offers year-round swim lessons to children ages 4 months through 12 years old.

“It’s amazing to watch our students as they develop confidence in the pool and see how that transformation helps them grow in self-assurance in any environment,” Graf said.

The Goldfish Swim School network was started by Birmingham natives Jenny McCuiston –­ an Olympic swim trials qualifier with a degree in early childhood development – and her husband, Chris, a Michigan State University graduate who captained the Spartan baseball team. They developed the Goldfish curriculum in 2006 based on U.S. Swim School Association principles.

While the McCuistons still own the Birmingham school, Goldfish has expanded throughout the state and nationally by selling franchises. Now, 29 schools are open or in development in Michigan, Massachusetts, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Texas and New Jersey.

The McCuistons are working to increase their franchise network to 100 locations by 2024.

The Ann Arbor franchise opened in 2011.

More information is available at 734-864-5555 or www.goldfishswimschool.com.