Kroc Center teaching kids to swim during Water Safety Awareness Month

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- May is Water Safety Awareness Month, and the South Bend Kroc Center has been able to offer free swim lessons to kids in the community, all thanks to a sponsorship with Swift Prepared Foods.

61 kids, ages 4-14 will get certificates tomorrow for completing a 2 week intensive swim program at the Kroc Center.

Most kids came from the South Bend Empowerment Zone and surrounding neighborhoods and were all non-swimmers before the program began.

Following the Red Cross ‘Learn to Swim’ curriculum, kids spent time in the classroom learning about water safety education before hitting the pool to learn and practice proper swim techniques.

This knowledge and experience sets a great tone for the summer, especially for the younger ones, as it’s easier for a child to drown than some may think.

As of last month, 5 people have drowned in our own Lake Michigan already this year.

Last year, 45 of 108 Great Lakes drownings occurred in Lake Michigan as well.

This is all according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a non-profit that tracks drowning statistics and teaches water safety.

If you’re interested in learning more about Water Safety Awareness Month, you can visit the national’s organization’s website.

For more information about the Kroc Center and its private swim lessons, visit its website here.